India And China Initiate Troop Disengagement At Depsang And Demchok Border Points

The Indian and Chinese armies are set to complete troop disengagement at the Depsang and Demchok areas by October 28-29, with joint patrolling scheduled to resume on October 30-31. This disengagement will apply only to these specific points, where both sides will withdraw to pre-April 2020 positions, resuming patrols as they did previously. Official sources shared that ground commanders’ meetings will continue, ensuring coordination and avoiding miscommunication through pre-informed, regulated patrol strengths.

Temporary structures, including sheds and tents, will be removed, while both Indian and Chinese forces will maintain surveillance over the area. Patrolling will follow the locations established before April 2020.

In a recent bilateral meeting in Kazan, Russia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to prioritize peace and stability on the border, emphasizing “mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual sensitivity” as key to constructive dialogue. This formal discussion was their first in five years.

Negotiations for the resumption of patrolling followed extensive talks, including 17 Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) meetings and 21 senior military commanders’ dialogues since the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash.