- India and China have reached an agreement on “patrolling arrangements” and resolving the military standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including friction points at Demchok and Depsang.
- This breakthrough comes ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the BRICS summit in Kazan.
- At Depsang plains, Chinese troops had blocked Indian patrols, but the recent agreement suggests patrolling will resume.
- The two sides have disengaged from five key friction points, including Galwan and Pangong Tso, since 2020. The latest breakthrough followed Corps Commander-level talks.
- Diplomatic and military discussions led to disengagement along the LAC, restoring the situation to pre-2020 conditions.
- The disengagement is considered complete, though further steps such as troop deduction and demobilization are required for full normalcy at the LAC.
- The timing suggests a potential bilateral meeting between India and China during the BRICS summit
- China has not yet made an official statement on the border agreement.
Dig Deeper: Locate friction points on the India-China border in the Eastern and Western sectors. (Refer to August and September Magazine for more)
