How India And China Reached Disengagement Agreement, Securing Patrolling Rights Along LAC In Diplomatic Win

India and China reached an agreement on disengagement along their shared border after four years and four months of diplomatic and military efforts, including 17 rounds of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) meetings and 21 rounds of military dialogue.

India has secured an agreement with China to restore India’s patrolling rights in the Depsang Bulge and Charding Ningling Nullah (CNN) Junction in Demchok, addressing a conflict that began in May 2020 in eastern Ladakh.

The patrolling agreement benefits both sides, with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) also regaining patrolling rights in certain areas that had been restricted since 2020.

With disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) now largely complete, the next phase will involve de-escalation and the relocation of forward-deployed forces to their barracks.

While the Indian government has not released detailed information, sources indicate that the proposal was framed during the last WMCC and military dialogues and was pending final political approval from Beijing.

The agreement was formally confirmed after the Indian Army's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and his PLA counterpart verified the implementation on the ground in eastern Ladakh. Further on-ground verification in other sectors is ongoing.

The PLA's 2020 incursions had severely restricted Indian Army patrols at key points in the Depsang Bulge and CNN Junction. However, the establishment of buffer zones in areas like Galwan, Khugrang, Gogra-Hot Springs, and Pangong Tso helped reduce tensions.

The restoration of patrolling rights in Depsang and Demchok, both legacy issues dating back to the 1962 war, marks a significant diplomatic victory for India. Successful de-escalation would mark a crucial step towards normalising relations between the two countries.

As Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping prepare to meet at the BRICS summit in Kazan on 22-23 October, experts suggest that the next logical step could be a mutual pullback of the 2 lakh troops, tanks, artillery, and missiles deployed on both sides.