The India-China Corps Commanders’ talks are likely to result in the disengagement of troops from Patrolling Point 15 in the near future. India held its 16th round of high-level military talks with China on Sunday.
According to top government sources, it is likely that the Indian side could move its position from the friction point towards the Karam Singh Hill feature while the Chinese could move back towards the north in Chinese areas. The modalities of monitoring the area, which could be like a buffer zone, would be finalised in the near future, they said.
Since May 2020, when the Chinese military tried to change the status quo on LAC in Eastern Ladakh, both sides have been deployed opposite each other near Patrolling Point 15, which has emerged as a friction point.
India has been looking at complete disengagement of troops from the friction points and moving back troops to the pre-May 18, 2020 situation in the entire sector.
The last disengagement of troops on the LAC took place a year ago and led to limited resolution of the standoff at Patrol Point 17A in Gogra. India and China also disengaged troops from both the banks of the Pangong Tso.
Around 50 soldiers each from both countries are deployed within a kilometre of the flashpoint since tensions escalated in May 2020.
Building on the progress made at the last meeting on March 11, 2022, the two sides continued discussions for the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector in a constructive and forward-looking manner, an official stated. (India Today)
