NEWS – India declared an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. This development marks a breakthrough in protracted border negotiations between India and China.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that the two nations have reverted to the situation that existed in 2020, with the troop disengagement process completed
• The announcement coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s impending trip to Kazan, Russia, for the 16th BRICS summit.
• The stand-off along the disputed boundary in eastern Ladakh has been ongoing since 2020
• The new agreement allows Indian and Chinese soldiers to resume patrolling as they did prior to the conflict.
• Despite the agreement, India will maintain a vigilant stance along the LAC due to ongoing trust issues with China
• The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has not withdrawn additional troops deployed since April-May 2020
• The Indian Army will not withdraw from ‘rear areas,’ apart from routine repositioning during winter.
• A research paper noted that India lost access to 26 of the 65 patrolling points along the LAC since the stand-off began in 2020, underscoring the significance of the new agreement.