Indian and Chinese forceswillresume joint patrolling at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along the eastern Ladakh borderthatflaredupdeadlyclashes in 2020,aftermorethanfouryears. Soldiers from the sides started patrolling in areasalong Depsang and Demchok onThursdayto mark the festivalaspart of the resumption-exchanging sweets fortheauspiciousfestivaloflights-Diwali. DepsangandDemchokaretwootherhotspotsalongthe852-kmLACateasternLadakh.

After agreeing to withdraw troops from DepsangandDemchok, patrolling resumed.Ithas been inactive since the clash in Pangong Lake and Galwan Valley regions, which costIndia20lives.Lastweek,a new patrolling mechanismwas agreed, upon whichcontained mutual notification procedures before the commencementofpatrolling to avoid any misunderstandings.

Depsang and Demchok: Important strategic sites

Depsang and Demchok are crucial strategic placeson the LAC. Depsang isessential for India because it can access the Daulat Beg Oldie airstrip and is in a strategicpositiontowardoffpossiblechallenges to logistics bases close to it. India currently holds the western end of Demchok, butit is claimedby China as its own.

Satellite images accessed last week hadindicated signs of de-escalation whereinthe Indian tents hadbeen withdrawn from Depsang plains, and China structures weretaken down in Demchok. According to sources, the Indian Army is verifying if Chinese troops have indeed withdrawn as per the terms of the disengagement agreement.

Indian and Chinese troops exchanged sweets at five locations along the LAC, including at Chushul Maldo and Daulat Beg Oldie in Ladakh,to celebrate Diwali and the progress in reducingtensions.The deal also provides for the physical withdrawaloftroopsandletsthetwo countries retaintheir surveillance capabilities in thearea.

This agreement indicates a positive step forward butnoted by Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh that “going beyond disengagement”is the goal, a process that may require time and further diplomatic negotiations.Buttherearestill some fears related to continued de-escalation atsome other spotsinthedisputed Ladakh regionsuch as Gogra and Hot Springs.

The patrols are a representation of easing tensions but also indicate India and China’s commitment to a controlled, step-by-step resolution of their longstanding border disputes.