India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, announced on Monday that India and China have established a new arrangement for patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. This development follows ongoing diplomatic and military negotiations that have been in progress since May 2020, when the Chinese military made significant incursions into areas traditionally patrolled by the Indian Army.
The tensions escalated dramatically in June 2020 during clashes in the Galwan Valley, resulting in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers, alongside an unconfirmed number of Chinese casualties. Since then, both nations have been engaged in multiple rounds of negotiations to resolve territorial disputes, claiming to have reached agreements on the alignment of the LAC in three key areas: Galwan Valley, Gogra-Hot Springs, and the Pangong Lake region.
Misri’s recent statement hints at ongoing discussions concerning the Depsang and Demchok areas, which remain contentious, as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) retains control over significant portions of territory claimed by India. If China demonstrates flexibility regarding these areas, there may be a pathway to a broader resolution of the Sino-Indian territorial disputes.
Misri indicated that recent diplomatic efforts have culminated in an agreement that facilitates disengagement and addresses the issues that surfaced in 2020. This announcement comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to attend the BRICS summit in Russia, where a potential bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping could take place. However, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson remained noncommittal about the likelihood of such a meeting.
In September 2022, Indian and Chinese troops executed a mutual withdrawal from the Gogra-Hot Springs area; however, Chinese forces continue to occupy significant sections of Indian territory in Depsang and Demchok. The Depsang region, in particular, is critical as it represents the northernmost tip of India and has seen PLA incursions of up to 15 kilometers into Indian-patrolled territory.
Indian military leadership has repeatedly called for full disengagement from these contested areas, emphasizing the need to restore the status quo that existed prior to May 2020 to ensure peace and stability. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi recently acknowledged the progress made in easier negotiations but highlighted the need to tackle more complex issues moving forward. He noted that the future of these discussions depends significantly on continued engagement between military commanders from both countries.
