The Indian and Chinese military have begun dismantling temporary structures in Ladakh and removed parts from the line of contact, The Hindu newspaper reported citing military sources.
“Chinese troops moved two kilometers away from the Galvana line of contact. Temporary structures are being demolished by both sides”, – the newspaper’s interlocutor said.
India and China have withdrawn their troops after clashes in Ladakh.
There is a long-standing territorial dispute between China and India over the ownership of a portion of the mountain territory in the north of Kashmir, as well as almost 60 thousand square kilometers in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The actual control line replacing the border between the countries in this region is in the Ladakh region. In the autumn of 1962, this dispute escalated into a border war. In 1993 and 1996, China and India signed agreements to maintain peace in the disputed areas.
The aggravation of the situation in the region began in early May, when a series of conflicts between the two countries’ military forces in the area of Lake Pangong Tso. India and China then began reinforcing forces in Ladakh at the line of de facto control. A new round of tensions began after a fight between the two countries’ military forces in Galwan Valley in Ladakh on the evening of 15 June. According to official New Delhi, 20 soldiers were killed in the incident on the Indian side. No information on the number of deaths and casualties on the Chinese side was made public.
The newspaper notes that commanders of the Chinese and Indian military in the region held several meetings to resolve the situation. According to the plan, adopted at their last meeting, held June 30, first troops will withdraw in all “hot spots” – Galvan Valley, in the areas of Pangong Tso and Hot Springs. After that, the situation in “deep zones”, such as the Depsang Plains, where China has accumulated troops, will be reviewed.