'Disengagement almost complete, we want to move beyond it': Rajnath Singh on India-China talks on LAC

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday (October 31) said that the disengagement at agreed-upon locations at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is almost complete.

Speaking during the e-inauguration of Major Bob Khathing Museum in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang, Singh said that talks for the resolution of situation at other locations is ongoing.

“Talks between India and China are ongoing at both diplomatic and military levels to resolve conflicts at some parts of the LAC,” said Rajnath in Hindi.

As per the border agreement announced earlier this month, Indian and Chinese troops are in the process of disengaging in Demchok and Depsang regions at the LAC in eastern Ladakh and are set to resume coordinated patrolling there. Under the terms of the deal, Chinese soldiers will also hold patrols in Yangtse region of Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang.

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In an apparent reference at efforts at de-escalation and subsequent de-induction at the border areas, Rajnath said that India now wants to move beyond disengagement but the process will take some time.

“After recent talks, a broad consensus has been reached to restore the ground situation. This consensus has been developed on the basis of equal and mutual respect. Patrolling and grazing rights are included under the terms of the consensus. Based on the consensus, the disengagement process is nearly complete. It will be our effect to go beyond disengagement but we will have to wait a bit longer for that,” said Rajnath.

After disengagement, the focus will be on de-escalation and de-induction. While disengagement refers to the withdrawal of soldiers and equipment such as tanks and armoured vehicles from the frontlines, de-escalation refers to the withdrawal of soldiers and war-waging heavy equipment such as tanks, missiles, warplanes, artillery units, etc. from the broader theatre, and de-induction refers to the restoration of the theatre to pre-conflict status by removing the additional soldiers and war-waging equipment deployed there.

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As of now, patrolling rights have only been resumed in Depsang and Demchok regions. In the regions where disengagement happened in 2022, the Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, and Patrolling Points 15 and 17A in Gogra Hot Springs area, patrolling remains suspended and buffer zones remain in place.