India and China begin to disengage from friction areas along the border — terms and conditions apply

• After being caught in a deadlock along the border for over eight months, India and China have agreed upon a plan to disengage India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh told the Parliament.
  
• India will move its troops back to Finger 3, while China will move back to Finger 8 along the peaks surrounding Pangong Tso Lake in Eastern Ladakh.
  
• In order for disengagement to take place, India laid out three terms and conditions to which China has agreed for the time being.
  

India and China have agreed on a disengagement plan in Eastern Ladakh where the two Asian giants have been caught in a deadlock for over eight months now. “Happy to inform parliament that we have agreed on a disengagement plan with China for North and South Pangong lake,” India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament on February 11.

China will begin to move its troops to Finger 8 and India will move back towards Finger 3. India will retain its troops at Dhan Singh Thapa administration camp.

Moreover, all new structures will be dismantled. And, any patrolling in the region will be suspended for the time being.


More disengagement to occur in another 48 hours
Commanders from both sides are scheduled to meet in another 48 hours to discuss the other friction points where Indian Army and Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops are face-to-face. “We have made it clear that there should be disengagement at all friction pointson the Line of Actual Control (LAC),” said Singh.

In order for disengagement to take place, Singh disclosed that India laid out three conditions:

1. The LAC should be respected.
2. No unilateral action to change the status quo.
3. All bilateral agreements to be allowed.

He highlighted that the dispute between India and China has harmed bilateral relations. As China built up its forces, India too responded in kind by sending additional troops to strategic peaks in Ladakh.

“Both sides agree that complete disengagement under bilateral agreements and protocol should be done as soon as possible. China is also aware of our resolve to protect the sovereignty of the country. It is expected that China will work with us to resolve the remaining issues,” Singh told Parliament.