Breaking the ice, India and China have taken a move forward towards military disengagement on the icy heights of eastern Ladakh. The scenic Pangong Tso—which was heavily militarised by both sides by amassing huge number of troops and armoured and artillery elements—will now be vacated. But other friction points like Depsang plains, Gogra, Hot Spring and Galwan will remain contested on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
A day after the Chinese defence ministry's statement on disengagement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday informed the Parliament about it.
Singh claimed that India has been able to reach an agreement with the Chinese side for disengagement in the Pangong Tso area that envisages that both sides will cease their forward deployment in a "phased, coordinated and verified manner".
"The Chinese side will keep its troops’ presence in the north bank area to east of Finger 8. Reciprocally, the Indian troops will be based at their permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa post near Finger 3," Singh said, while adding that a similar action would be taken in the south bank area by both sides. "These are mutual and reciprocal steps, and any structures that had been built by both sides since April 2020 in both north and south bank area will be removed and the landforms will be restored," he clarified. The north bank of the lake is divided into 8 Fingers. In military parlance, the mountain spurs jutting into the lake are referred to as Finger areas.
When the Chinese side was showing aggression on other friction points, the Indian Army in Operation Snow Leopard on August 29 last year had managed to take control of some of the dominating heights in the southern bank of Pangong Tso. And by gaining control of those dominating heights, the Indian Army could overlook the Chinese Moldo Garrison, which had irked the Chinese military that has been insisting India to vacate the positions. Strategic heights like Magar Hill, Gurung Hill, Gorkha Hill and Reqin La was within their side of the LAC.
It has also been agreed to convene the next meeting of the senior commanders within 48 hours after the complete disengagement in the Pangong Tso area, so as to address and resolve all other remaining issues, Rajnath Singh informed Parliament.
"It has also been agreed to have a temporary moratorium on military activities by both sides in the north bank, including patrolling to the traditional areas," Rajnath Singh said, while adding that patrolling will be resumed only when both sides reach an agreement in diplomatic and military talks that would be held subsequently.
The implementation of this agreement started on Wednesday in the north and south banks of Pangong Tso and will substantially restore the situation to the existing situation prior to commencement of the standoff last year.
While assuring the House that India had not conceded anything, Rajnath said that "the House should also know that there are still some outstanding issues with regard to deployment and patrolling at some other points along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. These will be the focus of further discussions with the Chinese side," he said, while adding that India had agreed that both side should achieve complete disengagement at the earliest and abide fully by the bilateral agreement and protocols.
"By now, the Chinese side is also fully aware of our resolve. It is therefore our expectation that the Chinese side will work with us in full sincerity to resolve these remaining issues," the defence minister said.
He asked the parliamentarians to join in showing gratitude to the armed forces who had shown grit and resolve under the extremely harsh climatic conditions of Ladakh, which has resulted in the present agreement.
"I am confident that this entire House, irrespective of political affiliation, is united together for upholding our sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and national security," Rajnath Singh said.
Singh simultaneously told the House that China has illegally occupied approximately 38,000 sq.km in the Union territory of Ladakh, mainly during the 1962 conflict. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq.km of Indian territory in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to China.
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"China, thus, is in illegal occupation of more than 43,000 sq.km of Indian territory. It also claims approximately 90,000 sq.km of Indian territory in the eastern sector of the India-China boundary in Arunachal Pradesh," Singh said, while adding that India has never accepted this illegal occupation of our territory or the unjustified claims.
Amid the high rate of trust deficit, military observers believe that China's move needs to be monitored closely, especially after the Galwan valley clash, in which 20 Indian troops, including the commanding officer (a colonel-rank officer), was killed by the PLA.
On Wednesday, a statement by the Chinese side had claimed that the Chinese and Indian frontline troops at the southern and northern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake started synchronised and organised disengagement from February 10, according to Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense. The Chinese side added that this move is in accordance with the consensus reached by both sides at the 9th round of China-India corps commander-level meeting that happened on January 24.