NEW DELHI, Oct 21: Just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s departure to Russia for the BRICS summit, India and China have reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. This development is expected to lead to “disengagement” and resolution of the tensions that have persisted since the violent clashes of 2020, as announced by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday.
During a press briefing, Misri stated, “These talks have resulted in an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas leading to disengagement and a resolution of the issues that had risen in these areas in 2020.”
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to leave for Russia on Tuesday to attend the BRICS summit, hosted by President Vladimir Putin. The agreement comes at a critical time ahead of the summit.
The agreement is said to focus on patrolling arrangements in the Depsang and Demchok regions, with diplomatic and military negotiators from both nations having conducted several rounds of talks in recent weeks to finalize the details.
There is a possibility that Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping might have a bilateral meeting during the summit, the first BRICS event to include new members such as Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE. However, there is no official confirmation of such a meeting yet.
The last meeting of the working mechanism on India-China border issues was held on August 29 in Beijing, where both sides engaged in constructive dialogue on the LAC situation, aiming to resolve differences and speed up the resolution of ongoing issues. Both nations agreed that peace along the LAC is essential for restoring normal bilateral relations.
Military leaders from India and China have been holding regular talks to achieve complete disengagement in the remaining conflict areas along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, a crucial step towards restoring peace.
Relations between India and China became strained following the deadly border clashes in 2020, resulting in the deaths of around 20 Indian soldiers and multiple casualties on the Chinese side. Despite numerous diplomatic and military talks, a solution had remained elusive until this recent agreement, which marks a step towards de-escalation and peace.
