Main military talks to take place in the hot springs area of eastern Ladakh on Wednesday (File)
New Delhi:
Indian and Chinese troops have started to disengage from each other in parts of eastern Ladakh before the next round of military talks scheduled for tomorrow, government sources said on Tuesday.
The main military talks are scheduled to take place on Wednesday in the Hot Springs area of eastern Ladakh.
According to sources, before that, a “significant” number of Chinese troops had withdrawn, but there is no exact figure. With the exception of the finger region at Pangong Tso, Chinese troops have started to withdraw 2 to 3 km away, they say.
Talks between the two armies are scheduled to take place this week at several locations, including Patrol Point 14 (Galwan area), Patrol Point 15 and the Hot Springs area, ANI said, government sources said.
Due to talks over the next few days, the Chinese military has withdrawn troops from certain regions, they said.
The sources said that the disengagement from China was mutual, the Indian side also brought back part of its troops and vehicles from these regions.
Indian military teams are already in Chushul to initiate talks with the Chinese and are coordinating with senior officials in this regard.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday that India wanted a resolution to the decades-old border problem with China “as soon as possible”. He called last week’s high-level military dialogue between the two sides “positive” during the confrontation in eastern Ladakh.
In a major effort to end this dispute, Lieutenant-General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding the 14th corps based in Leh and the commander of the Tibet military district, Major General Liu Lin, held an in-depth meeting Saturday.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said on Sunday that the meeting had taken place in a “cordial and positive atmosphere” and that the two sides had agreed that a “rapid resolution” of the question would contribute to the further development of relations between the two countries. .
In his comments, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the two countries had agreed to work to maintain peace along the real line of control and resolve the impasse through talks.
Tensions between the two sides intensified sharply after reports of clashes between soldiers in the Pangong Lake area on May 5 and 6.
According to sources cited by Press Trust of India, the Chinese military has gradually increased its strategic reserves at its rear bases near the LAC by rushing in with artillery guns, infantry fighting vehicles and heavy military equipment. The trigger for the confrontation was China’s firm opposition to the laying by India of a key road in the Finger region around Lake Pangong Tso, in addition to the construction of another road connecting the Darbuk road. -Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie in the Galwan Valley, said PTI, citing sources. .
After the deadlock began, Indian military leadership decided that Indian troops would take a firm approach to the aggressive position of Chinese troops in all of the disputed areas of Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie.
