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Patrolling at Depsang and Demchok resumes today as India and China exchange sweets
Patrolling at the traditional points of Depsang and Demchok in Eastern Ladakh began on Thursday, as defence sources confirmed to CNN-News18 that Indian troops are resuming patrols after a long suspension due to the disengagement and verification process.
It has been reported that both countries are exchanging sweets today; however, the cultural programmes that used to take place previously will remain suspended. “We are moving towards normalcy of relations but we haven’t achieved it. Everything will happen as and when the time comes. This time it is just sweets exchange and patrolling at some points to start with,” said a senior defence official.
Final verification
There are five patrolling points in Depsang and two at Demchok where Indian troops will begin patrolling. After the 2020 Galwan clash, Chinese troops blocked the patrol of Indian soldiers, and in response, Indian soldiers blocked their movement. After extensive diplomatic and military efforts, both countries reached an agreement for disengagement and patrolling. The final verification took place on Wednesday, following a week-long process.
“Strength varies from location to location and cannot be the same for every patrol point. It depends on the specific task and the distance involved. Both sides have agreed to notify each other before conducting patrols to prevent any confrontations. This will be coordinated at the local commander level,” stated the officer in response to a question about strength. Additionally, there are no late evening or night patrols, CNN-News18 has learned. The local commander will continue to interact to further decide on the design after the initial patrols on 31 October.
Eastern Ladakh
Earlier this month, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said in New Delhi that the agreement was finalised following negotiations over the past several weeks and that it would lead to a resolution of the issues that arose in 2020. Since the announcement ending over four years of military standoff at eastern Ladakh, China released fewer details except acknowledging that the process of disengagement is going on smoothly.
Earlier today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India and China have continued talks to resolve conflicts in some areas of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. He made these remarks during an event in Tezpur, Assam. Underlining that the agreement was reached based on “equal and mutual security,” Singh said that the consensus includes rights for traditional patrolling and grazing.