Eyeing intel on Chinese movements, Indian Army allows winter grazing along LAC

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced on Tuesday that the 'disengagement chapter' with China has been completed, signifying the conclusion of a recent phase in troop withdrawal from contested border areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh.

Speaking at an event in Canberra, Jaishankar emphasized that the primary goal of these negotiations was to ensure the separation of forward-deployed troops following a build-up of forces that began in the summer of 2020. With this disengagement chapter nearing completion, attention now turns to a critical next step: de-escalation.

What Jaishankar said on prospects of India-China ties after recent breakthrough

"On October 21st, was the last set of what we call disengagement agreements, which essentially means that after the summer of 2020, Chinese and Indian troops, have been forward deployed. You can see, along the line of Actual Control, in distances, which were extremely concerning. And the priority has been to find ways of, separating the troops, which is why the word disengagement. And the expectation is the patrolling there would resume. In fact, it is happening as we speak. So you can say in a way, the disengagement, chapter is done, its implementation will happen in the coming days to everybody's satisfaction. And the part which now awaits us, the immediate part which awaits us is what we call the de-escalation, which is the buildup of forces along the Line of Actual Control," Jaishankar said at the Inaugural Session of Raisina Down Under 2024.

"There will obviously be discussions of various kinds, but at the meeting, with the the formal bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President XI, which was actually happening after five years, what was agreed was that the foreign minister and the National Security advisor we would meet our counterpart and so would you know the relevant officials and find ways by which we will have to discuss, you know how do we normalize the relationship, and you know, what would be the extent and the pace and the manner in which we would do that," the EAM added.

"The third part is okay, but how do we actually see that relationship? You know, it's it's really in a way, quite a challenge because you have to, you know, know the two most populous countries in the world, both of whom, have been rising, they are rising," Jaishankar further stated.

Implementation of agreement with India to disengage troops going smoothly: China

On Monday, China stated that the implementation of the agreement with India to disengage troops in eastern Ladakh is proceeding "smoothly at the moment." However, they refrained from commenting on the resumption of patrolling at the two friction points in Depsang and Demchok.

"The Chinese and Indian troops are implementing the resolutions that the two sides reached on issues concerning the border area, which is going smoothly at the moment," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing in Beijing.

She, however, did not provide a specific answer regarding the commencement of patrolling in the two areas by Indian troops.

On Saturday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced that the Indian Army has begun verification patrolling at Depsang, the second friction point in eastern Ladakh. Patrolling at Demchok started on Friday, just a day after Indian and Chinese troops completed their disengagement at these two friction points.

On October 21, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated in New Delhi that an agreement had been finalized between India and China following several weeks of negotiations, aimed at resolving the issues that arose in 2020. This agreement established protocols for patrolling and disengagement of troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, representing a significant breakthrough to end the over four-year-long standoff.

Relations between the two Asian giants deteriorated sharply after a violent clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, which marked the most serious military conflict between the two nations in decades.

• China
• Demchok
• Depsang
• Foreign Ministry
• Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri
• Galwan Valley
• Indian External Affairs Minister
• LAC
• Line of Actual Control
• Mao Ning
• National Security advisor
• President XI
• Prime Minister Modi
• Raisina Down Under 2024
• S. Jaishankar
• build-up of forces
• de-escalation
• disengagement chapter
• eastern Ladakh
• forward-deployed troops
• four-year-long standoff
• friction points
• implementation
• military conflict
• negotiations
• normalize the relationship
• patrolling
• rising
• separation
• significant breakthrough
• smoothly
• summer of 2020
• troop withdrawal
• two most populous countries
• verification patrolling

New Delhi: Days after the troops of India and China completed the disengagement process and also the physical verification, the Indian Army on Monday successfully patrolled one of the five patrolling points in the Depsang plains. Ever since April 2020, the Chinese troops have been blocking access to the Indian Army to go for patrolling at the Patrolling Point (PP) 10, 11, 11A, 12 and 13 comprising an area of 952 sqkm in the Depsang areas.

Strategically significant location, Depsang is situated near the Y-Junction, about 20 kilometers from the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) airfield.

The Chinese troops were sitting at the Y-Junction and blocking the Indian Army soldiers from going beyond the junction point.

The Y-Junction serves as a critical link between the Siachen Glacier and the DBO airfield.

In a post on X, the Fire & Fury Corps also called XIV Corps-based at Leh said: “Following the consensus reached between the Indian and Chinese Side for disengagement and resumption of patrolling in Depsang and Demchok, the Indian Army patrol to one of the patrolling points in Depsang was successfully conducted today. This is yet another positive step towards maintaining peace and tranquility on the LAC.”

It must be noted that the disengagement at Depsang and Demchok was completed on October 30 and the patrolling at Demchok was started the next day but it took time to start at Depsang due to a delay in deciding the modalities of the patrolling.

On Saturday, India’s foreign ministry stated that the “verification patrolling has commenced on mutually agreed terms in Demchok and Depsang.”

It is pertinent to mention here that India announced the breakthrough a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to leave for the BRICS Leaders Summit at Kazan in Russia on October 21. At Kazan, Modi held a bilateral talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit.

On October 21, India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri announced that the "last phase of disengagement was agreed upon between India and China" over patrolling arrangements in the two regions and the troops would return to the positions that existed before the stand-off in 2020.

In June 2020, the troops of both sides had violent faceoffs at the Galwan valley, wherein the two sides suffered several casualties.

• India-China
• India China disengagement

New Delhi: In a first, the armies and the air forces of India and Vietnam are participating in the bilateral military exercise “VinBax -- 2024” from Monday at Ambala in Haryana.

This is the fifth edition and prior to this edition only the Indian Army used to participate in the exercise, alternatively taking each other’s country.  

The 21-day bilateral exercise is scheduled to take place at Ambala and Chandimandir. 

“The exercise is a sequel to previously conducted bilateral exercise in Vietnam in 2023 and a major milestone in strengthening the bilateral relations between India and Vietnam,” Indian Army spokesperson Colonel Sudhir Chamoli said.

“This edition marks a significant increase in the scope with Bi Service level participation for the first time by personnel of Army and Air Force from both the countries.”

A total of 47 personnel from the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers along with personnel from other arms and services are participating while a similar strength is being represented from Vietnam People's Army.

The exercise is aimed at to enhance joint military capability of both sides in employment and deployment of Engineer Company and Medical Teams to undertake engineering tasks.

The exercise between two countries are being held as part of United Nation Contingent in Peace Keeping Operations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

The bilateral exercise “VinBax – 2024” will strengthen mutual confidence, interoperability and enable sharing of best practices between the Indian Army and Vietnam People’s Army, Chamoli said.  

A 48-hour Validation Exercise with Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief demonstration and equipment display is also part of the schedule to assess the standards achieved by both contingents while executing technical military operations under similar scenarios in UN missions. 

“The joint exercise will also provide an opportunity to the troops of both the Contingents to learn about the social and cultural heritages of each other.”

• Bilateral Military Exercise
• India-Vietnam Joint Military Exercise
• Indian Armed Forces
• Peacekeeping Operations
• Vietnam People's Army
• VinBax-2024

New Delhi: The special forces of India and the United States will be beginning their 15th edition of joint military Exercise Vajra Prahar from November 2 at Orchard Combat Training Centre in Idaho.

For 21-day-long exercise, Indian Army Spokeperson Colonel Sudhir Chamoli said that a contingent of Indian Army departed for the United States to participate in the joint military drill. 

The previous edition of the same exercise was held at Umroi, Meghalaya in December 2023. 

It must be noted that this will be second exercise of the year between the two armies, the previous being Exercise Yudh Abhyas conducted at Rajasthan in September 2024. 

45 personnel from each side will be taking part in Ecercise Vajra Prahar 2024. 

From Indian Army side, troops from the Special Forces units while Green Berets from the US Army will be representing in the exercise.

Col Chamoli said that the aim of Vajra Prahar is to promote military cooperation between both countries through enhancement of interoperability, jointness and mutual exchange of special operations tactics. 

“The exercise will enhance combined capabilities in executing joint Special Forces Operations in desert/ semi desert environment.”

“The exercise will focus on high degree of physical fitness, joint planning and joint tactical drills.”

The exercise will include include planning a Joint Team Mission, Reconnaissance Mission, employment of Unmanned Aerial Systems, execution of Special Operations, actions of Joint Terminal Attack Controller and Psychological Warfare in Special Operations. 

During their exercise, the troops from both sides will share their best practices and experiences for conduct of joint Special Forces Operations. 

“The exercise will facilitate developing inter-operability, bonhomie and camaraderie between soldiers of both the countries.”

• Defence Cooperation
• Exercise Vajra Prahar
• India-US Joint Military Exercise
• Indian Army
• Interoperability
• Joint Special Forces Operation
• Military Cooperation
• Special Forces
• US Army