Sunday, 22 December 2024
Sunday, 22 December 2024
Indian and Chinese troops exchanged sweets at several points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including at locations in eastern Ladakh, to mark Diwali on Thursday, even as the Chinese defence ministry spokesperson declined to comment on whether the disengagement process had been completed.
"Sweets exchange between members of the troops of India and China took place at several border points along the LAC on the occasion of Diwali," an Indian Army source told PTI.
The exchange took place at all the five Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the LAC – Bum La and Wacha/Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Chushul-Moldo and Daulat Beg Oldi in Ladakh and Nathu La in Sikkim -- among several other locations, the news agency reported quoting unnamed sources.
Sweets were also exchanged at Kongk La, KK Pass and Hot Springs (in eastern Ladakh), they said.
As a traditional practice, Indian and Chinese troops have in the past exchanged sweets and greetings at several border posts along the LAC, including in eastern Ladakh, to mark festivals and other important occasions.
On Wednesday, an Indian Army source told PTI that troops of both sides had completed the disengagement at the two friction points and patrolling would commence soon at these points.
The verification process after the disengagement was in progress and patrolling modalities were to be decided between ground commanders, the source said then.
"Talks will continue at the local commander level," the army source told PTI.
On Thursday, an Indian Army source said patrolling was yet to resume.
Sources earlier had said that the areas and patrolling status were expected to be moved back to pre-April 2020 level.
Foreign secretary Vikram Misri on October 21 said in Delhi that an agreement was finalised between India and China following negotiations over the past several weeks and that it would lead to a resolution of the issues that arose in 2020.
The agreement was firmed up on patrolling and disengagement of troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, a breakthrough to end the over four-year standoff.
The move marks a significant development in the pursuit of reduced tension along the LAC in eastern Ladakh since the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
The ties between the two Asian giants had nosedived following the clash.
The Chinese military on Thursday said troops of India and China are "making progress" in implementing the recent agreement to disengage from the friction points in the eastern Ladakh border.
However, the Chinese military declined to comment on reports that the disengagement has been completed.
Commenting for the first time after the October 21 agreement, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s ministry of national defence, told a media briefing that "China and India have reached resolutions on the issues concerning the border areas through diplomatic and military channels.”
"The frontline troops of the two militaries are making progress in implementing resolutions in an orderly manner," he said.
Xiaogang declined to comment on reports that the Indian and Chinese troops have completed disengagement at two friction points at Demchok and Depsang Plains in eastern Ladakh and patrolling is set to commence soon at these points.
"On this question, I have no more information to offer," Zhang said.
On the bilateral agreement to disengage the troops, Zhang said President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the margins of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia last week.
"Both sides have agreed that China and India should view and handle the bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective and make sure that the differences on specific issues will not affect the overall relationship," he said.
"We hope the Indian side will work together with China to take important common understandings between the two leaders as guidance and continuously implement the above-mentioned resolutions and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility along the border areas," he said.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the disengagement process in certain areas along LAC was "almost complete" based on consensus achieved between India and China.
Unveiling a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and inaugurating the Major Ralengnao 'Bob' Khating Museum of Valour at Tawang, Singh referred to the broad consensus achieved by India and China to restore the ground situation in certain areas along the LAC.
"India and China have been holding talks at both diplomatic and military levels to resolve the differences in some areas along the LAC. As a result of the talks, a broad consensus was developed on the basis of equal and mutual security. The consensus includes the rights of patrolling and grazing in traditional areas," he said.
"Based on this consensus, the process of disengagement is almost complete. Our efforts will be to take the matter beyond disengagement; but for that, we will have to wait a little longer," he added.
