India and China's armies have started coordinated patrolling in eastern Ladakh's Demchok area, following their disengagement from two friction points, including Depsang.
New Delhi: Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) began their coordinated patrolling along the line of actual control (LAC) in Demchok areas of the eastern Ladakh on Friday, two days after the two sides completed the disengagement process in two friction points, including Depsang.
However, the patrolling in Depsang plains will take about 2-3 more days to begin.
Sources in the Indian Army said that the patrolling at Depsang wiill start soon.
After completion of the disengagement process from these two friction points, the troops of two sides exchanged sweets on Thursday on the occasion of Diwali, the festival of lights, at several locations in eastern Ladakh, including Chushul-Moldo, Kongk La, Karakoram Pass, Daulat Beg Oldie, Hot Springs among others.
The patrolling in Demchok areas commenced after the ground commanders of both armies decided the modalities.
India and China share a 3,488-km-long LAC, of which 832-km lies in the eastern Ladakh, wherein the Indian Army and China’s PLA were engaged into border standoff for around 4.5 years.
After the Galwan valley violent face offs of June 2020, the relations between two countries have been strained since then. It was the first fatal face offs between them since 1967.
It should be mentioned here that the border standoffs have cast a long shadow on India-China relations for decades. They fought a war in 1962.
The current border standoffs have subsequently led to suffering in the business and trades.
Patrolling at Demchok and Demchok
In Demchok, the Charding Nullah divides India and China. The Indian territory lies to the west of the Charding Nullah while Chinese territory in the east.
The Chinese troops have been blocking Indian Army from patrolling till Y-Junction in Depsang, will now be able to patrol to PP 10, 11, 11A 12 and 13. These PPs were blocked by the Chinese since March 2020.
In 2020, China blockaded India at six places — the Pangong Tso north bank, PP-17A near Gogra Post, the Gogra-Hotsprings area of PP-15, the Galwan river (PP-14), the Y-Junction in the Depsang Bulge and the Charding Nala in Demchok.