LAC patrolling pact: India, China start disengagement at Depsang, Demchok

LAC patrolling agreement reportedly allows resumption of patrolling as it was before May 2020 standoff, across Depsang, Demchok, northern bank of Pangong Tso, Gogra Hot Springs, and Galwan Valley

Indian and Chinese troops started the disengagement process on Wednesday at Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh in small batches, and also commenced removing blockades set up in these areas, according to the schedule agreed to on Monday under the recent Line of Actual Control (LAC) patrolling agreement, reported ThePrint on Thursday. 

 

Citing defence and security sources, the news portal reported that while the agreement was negotiated at both the diplomatic and military levels, the final pact was only signed by the corps commander -- the senior most military commander on the Indian side -- at around 4.30 am on Monday. 

 

 

It was only after this signing that India's top diplomat, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, announced that India and China had reached an arrangement for patrolling by both sides along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. 

 

The report added that graziers will also now be allowed to graze their cattle in areas that had earlier been declared buffer zones. However, this will be done in a coordinated manner. 

 

Citing unnamed sources, the report said that the disengagement process at Depsang commenced on Wednesday, adding that it was proceeding according to the agreed terms regarding "the percentage of what has to be dismantled" and "when troops have to be pulled back". 

 

While the pace of disengagement at Demchok was not clear at the time of reporting, citing earlier input from sources, the report said that at least one tent in the area had been removed. 

 

Patrolling to go back to as it was in April 2020 

 

The LAC pact allows patrolling to begin again at all Patrolling Points (PPs) that the two sides used in April 2020, before the LAC standoff began, the report said, citing sources. 

 

This will not only apply to patrolling in just Depsang and Demchok, but also in the Gogra Hot Springs area, the Galwan Valley, and along the northern bank of the Pangong Tso lake. 

 

However, the report cautioned, it was not immediately known when such patrolling would resume. It also noted that patrolling in these areas does not take place during the winter due to the heavy snow and severe drop in temperatures. 

 

What are the details of the patrolling arrangement? 

 

Under the agreement, patrolling will now be carried out in all areas as it was before the 2020 standoff, with the exception being Demchok and Depsang, with patrolling set to go back to the pre-2017 status in the latter area, said the report, citing sources. 

 

On the northern bank of Pangong Tso, actual patrolling by India used to be carried out only till Finger 4, even though India's claim line is till Finger 8. This was because Chinese troops had blocked the passage for Indian troops from Finger 4 to 5 and beyond. 

 

In 2020, however, an Indian Army team did manage to reach Finger 6 using a different route, with the Chinese objecting to the action. 

 

In the Galwan area, Indian troops mostly patrolled only till PP14, which is close to the Y-junction in the valley. This point, the report explained, is about 1.5 kilometres short of the LAC, from where PP14A is just 500 metres short. 

 

Indian troops would cross through the strong current of the river by foot to reach PP14A, with the action being usually undertaken by only two soldiers because of the narrow track ahead. 

 

Tensions arose in the Galwan Valley in 2020 after India constructed a small foot overbridge over the river, allowing its troops to cross easily. This would have made it easier for them to patrol up to PP14A. The Chinese had objected to this construction. 

 

Citing sources, the report said that under the recent agreement, the patrolling in the Galwan Valley will take place till PP14 on the Indian side. PP14 had become part of the buffer zone after troops disengaged in the area in 2020 after the clashes. 

 

However, the report said that in Depsang, patrolling will actually go back to the pre-2017 status. In this area, Indian forces will be able to patrol all the points -- PP10 to PP13. 

 

Speaking to the news portal, sources said that this was crucial forward movement because Chinese troops had blocked India from the 'bottleneck' area since 2020, forcing Indian troops to patrol only on foot because the movement of vehicles had come to a halt. 

 

Before that, at least since 2017, Chinese troops have blocked Indian forces after they cross the 'bottleneck' area and reach the Y-junction area. 

 

One source told the news portal that the recent agreement allows Indian patrolling "to all the PPs", even though they had largely been blocked since 2017, when the Doklam standoff began. 

 

While these were not no-go areas, Chinese troops would often come in vehicles and block Indian forces from proceeding to various PPs. Tensions at Depsang predate the most recent 2020 stand-off. 

 

According to the report, patrolling will occur twice a month. The strength of the patrolling party has also been fixed at 15 personnel to avoid clashes. 

 

India and China have also reportedly agreed to coordinate with each other before embarking on patrolling. 

 

Also under the agreement, sources told the news portal that no new construction can be undertaken by either side in areas that had been declared buffer zones earlier.