India-China border tensions highlights: After talks, both countries reach settlement on disengagement process; Chinese troops withdraw

The India-China border face-off appears to have reached some sort of settlement as a disengagement process has started in three of the four friction points along the LAC in Ladakh. On Sunday evening, Chinese Foreign Minister, State Councillor and Special Representative on the Sino-Indian Boundary Issue Wang Yi spoke to Indian National Security Advisor and Special Representative Ajit Doval over phone.

According to IANS, the two sides exchanged in frank and in-depth views on easing the current state of affairs at the borders and reached a positive consensus, the statement said.

The two sides agree to follow the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and believe that maintaining peace and tranquility in the border area is crucial to the long-term development of bilateral relations. The border issue should be placed in an appropriate position in bilateral relations to avoid the rise of differences into disputes.

The two sides reaffirmed their observance of a series of agreements signed by the two countries on the border issue and worked together to ease the situation in the border areas.

The two sides agreed to strengthen communication through the special representative meeting mechanism, hold non-stop meetings on the China-India Border Affairs Consultation and Coordination Working Mechanism, and constantly improve and strengthen confidence-building measures in the border area to avoid recurring incidents that affect peace and tranquility in the border area.

The two sides welcome the progress made in the recent military and diplomatic meeting between the two countries and agree to continue the dialogue and consultations, and emphasize that the consensus reached at the level of the two border defence forces at the military level should be implemented as quickly as possible to complete the disengagement process of the front-line forces of both sides as soon as possible.

Key steps leading to disengagement

Sources have told CNBC-TV18 that a twin track approach is the one of the key steps to reduce tnesions at the border and Army and MEA are involved in negotiations. The PM's visit sent a clear message that India is firm and committed to the disengaging process. Sources added that intensive bilateral engagement with China is culminating into special representative talks. EAM and Foreign Secretary had briefed foreign allies over the past few days of the disengaging process, which is being monitored closely.

NSA Ajit Doval spoke to Foreign Minister Wang Yi on July 5^th with both sides agreeing to complete ongoing disengagement expeditiously. The leaders had a frank and in-depth discussion on the border situation. Both leaders agreed on the need to ensure the earliest complete disengagement at LAC. India-China agreed on the need for de-escalation for the restoration of peace. India-China to work towards a phased and stepwise de-escalation. Diplomatic and military talks to continue.

Chinese Army has moved back tents, vehicles & troops by 1-2 km from locations where disengagement was agreed upon at Corps Commander level talks, news agency ANI said in a tweet citing Indian Army Sources. In another twitter update, the news agency said that "Chinese heavy armoured vehicles still present in depth areas in Galwan river area. Indian army monitoring the situation with caution: Indian Army Sources."

Bhutan’s foreign ministry has issued a demarche to the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, upset by China’s claims that the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary belongs to it, saying the sanctuary was an “integral and sovereign territory of Bhutan”. Both China and Bhutan don’t have embassies in each other’s countries and conduct their diplomatic communication through their missions in Delhi.

Indian soldiers who died in close combat with Chinese troops last month were unarmed and surrounded by a larger force on a steep ridge, Reuters reported quoting Indian government sources, two soldiers deployed in the area and families of the fallen men. One of the Indian soldiers had his throat slit with metal nails in the darkness, his father told Reuters, saying he had been told by a fellow soldier who was there.

The Indian Army is in the process of verifying whether China has started moving back troops from the flashpoints under the agreement reached between the two sides during the June 30 corps commanders’ meeting, reported Deccan Chronicle. The movement of Chinese troops from the flashpoints will show whether China is serious about disengagement and bringing down tensions at the Line of Actual Control, the report added.