LoC Stand-off: Indian, Chinese troops begin disengagement from Gogra-Hot Springs

New Delhi. Indian and Chinese troops have begun disengaging in a coordinated and planned manner in the Gogra-Hot Springs area of Ladakh, the Defence Ministry said on September 8.

“On 8th September 2022, according to the consensus reached in the 16th round of India China Corps Commander Level Meeting, Indian and Chinese troops in area of Gogra-Hotsprings (PP-15) have begun to disengage in a coordinated and planned way, which is conducive to peace and tranquility in the border areas,” a Defence Ministry statement said.

The 16th round of talks came after an almost six-month hiatus following the 15th round on March 11.

This is seemingly the first step forward in almost 18 months after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had informed Parliament on February 11, 2021 that India and China had reached an agreement to disengage troops from north and south of the Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh to end a ten-month stand-off, their worst border confrontation in almost 60 years, pledging that “not an inch of land will be given and nothing has been lost since the faceoff”.

“The sustained talks with China have led to the agreement on the disengagement on the north and south banks of Pangong Lake. After the agreement, India-China will remove forward deployments in a phased and coordinated manner,” Rajnath Singh said in a statement in the Rajya Sabha.

“China will keep its troops to the east of the Finger 8 in the north of Pangong Lake. India will keep its troops at its permanent base near Finger 3,” Rajnath Singh said.

Noting that the PLA had “built up a heavy force with arms and ammunition on their side at several spots near the LAC in eastern Ladakh, the Defence Minister said: Our forces have also adequate and effectively done counter deployment.” said the Defense Minister.

“Not an inch of land will be given and nothing has been lost since the faceoff”, he asserted.

At the same time, India was “committed to maintaining a peaceful situation at the Line of Actual Control”, having “always emphasised on maintaining bilateral ties,” Rajnath Singh maintained.

Lauding the security forces for “proving that they are ready to face any challenge to protect the sovereignty of the country and (that) the nation will always remember the supreme sacrifice of the soldiers”, the Defence Minister added: “The country stands united when it comes to the national security whichever party you belong.”

The military standoff  had begun in May 2020 and ever since Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in aggressive melees, face-offs and skirmishes along the Sino-Indian border, including near the disputed Pangong Lake in Ladakh and the Tibet Autonomous Region, and near the border between Sikkim and the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Matters came to a head on June 15/16, 2020 in a violent clash in which 20 Indian soldiers, including a Lieutenant Colonel were killed. There were also an unspecified number of casualties on the Chinese side.