Representative image
NEW DELHI: India and China have agreed on a gradual and verifiable disengagement from their over 50-day troop confrontation in different areas of eastern Ladakh, which will eventually lead to the two sides also thinning out their massive military build-ups along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control.
With rival troops remaining on a knife-edge since the violent skirmish in Galwan Valley on June 15, the breakthrough over de-escalation plan came during the 11-hour marathon meeting between 14 Corps commander Lt-Gen Harinder Singh and South Xinjiang Military District chief Major General Liu Lin, which finally ended at 10.30 pm on Monday.
A similar meeting on June 6 had also resulted in a “consensus” over disengagement which, however, went awry after Chinese troops refused to adhere to the pull back plan at “Patrolling Point-14” in Galwan Valley and attacked Col Santosh Babu and his men. A week later, following blame apportioning by both sides, the outcome of the fresh discussions are a welcome development which will need action on the ground though.
“The corps commander-level talks were held in a cordial, positive and constructiv