India and China carried the 10th course of military-level discussions for over 16 hours that continued till about 2 am on Sunday. Armies of both sides reached upon withdrawal at the three discord points of Gogra Heights, Hot Springs, and Despang plains. The discussion following full separation at the Pangong Tso took place in Moldo on the Chinese front of the eastern Ladakh border.
On Friday, it was declared that disengagement has been performed at the Pangong Tso friction point with the retreat of troops and weapons from the North and South edges of the lake in the high-altitude area. In the latest course of discussions with China, India is determined to have emphasized a more active disengagement method in Hot Springs, Gogra, and Depsang to carry down tension in the Ladakh area that has observed a standoff between the two militaries for the past nine months.
The Indian mission at Saturday’s talks was being directed by Lt Gen PGK Menon, the Commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps. The Chinese side was to be managed by Maj Gen Liu Lin, the commander of the South Xinjiang military district of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). On February 11, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had stated in Parliament that India and China have arrived at an agreement on disengagement at Pangong lake that demands both sides to “cease” forward deployment of troops in a “phased, coordinated and verifiable” method.
Under the deal, China will draw back its troops to the east of Finger 8 areas in the northern bank of Pangong lake while the Indian personnel will be based at their permanent station at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3 in the area. Related development would take place on the southern bank of the lake as well, he said. The sources said troops of both sides have retreated to stations that were granted upon. The disengagement method started on February 10.
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