Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday announced that India and China have reached a mutual agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
New Delhi: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday announced that India and China have reached a mutual agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The development follows recent negotiations between officials from both nations, aimed at easing tensions in the region.
In a special press briefing ahead of the BRICS Summit to be held in Moscow, Misri said, “We have reached an agreement with China on the issues being discussed. As a result of the discussions that have taken place over the last several weeks an agreement has been arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border area and this is leading to dis-engagement and eventually a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020."
India and China have agreed to resume patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), announces Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. pic.twitter.com/zs5sF3g1aY
— Asianet Newsable (@AsianetNewsEN)The foreign secretary further stated that Indian and Chinese negotiators have been in contact over the past few weeks, working to resolve the remaining issues along the border.
It is important to highlight that two friction points remain in eastern Ladakh—Demchok and the Depsang plains—dating back to before the June 2020 Galwan Valley incident, where both sides prevent each other from patrolling their respective perception lines.
The latest agreement is viewed as a significant move towards normalizing bilateral relations between India and China. Notably, areas such as Pangong Tso, Galwan, Hot Springs, and Gogra Heights have already seen disengagement in the past, while discussions on de-escalation and de-induction continue.
This breakthrough was announced just a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Kazan, Russia, for the BRICS Summit.
Although no official confirmation has been made, there is speculation that PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping might hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the summit.
The BRICS Summit in Kazan, themed "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security," will offer leaders a platform to discuss critical global issues. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the summit provides an opportunity to review progress on BRICS initiatives and explore new avenues for cooperation.