India & China Disengage in Eastern Ladakh's Gogra After 12th Round of Talks

This agreement ensures that the LAC in this area will be strictly observed and respected, the statement said.

The disengagement process in the Gogra area in eastern Ladakh that was agreed on at the 12th round of Corps Commander-level talks between India and China has been carried out between 4 and 5 August.

(Image: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

The disengagement process in the Gogra area in eastern Ladakh, which was agreed on at the 12th round of Corps Commander-level talks between India and China, has been carried out between 4 and 5 August, a statement from the Indian Army said on Friday, 6 August.

The 12th round of talks between India and China was held at Moldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on Saturday and discussed issues related to disengagement along the LAC in the Western Sector of India-China border areas.

As per the agreement discussed at this meeting, the Indian and Chinese sides ceased forward deployments in Gogra in a phased, coordinated, and verified manner and troops from both sides are in their respective permanent bases, the statement added.

"All temporary structures and other allied infrastructure created in the area by both sides have been dismantled and mutually verified. The landform in the area has been restored by both sides to pre-stand off period," it further said.

This agreement ensures that the LAC in this area will be strictly observed and respected by both sides, and that there is no unilateral change in status quo, the army said.

Friday's statement went on to say that with this development, one more "sensitive area of face-off has been resolved".

"Both sides have expressed commitment to take the talks forward and resolve the remaining issues along the LAC in the Western Sector," it said, adding that the Indian Army along with the ITBP is totally committed to "ensure the sovereignty of the nation and maintain peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector".

12th Round of Talks

The Indian delegation was led by Leh-based XIV Corps chief Lt Gen PGK Menon, and Additional Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs Naveen Srivastava.

The Chinese military delegation was led by the Commander of the PLA's Western Theatre Command, Xu Qiling, who was appointed earlier this month.

A joint statement issued after the meeting said that both countries have agreed to resolve the 'remaining issues in an expeditious manner in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols and maintain the momentum of dialogue and negotiations'.

"The two sides also agreed that in the interim they will continue their effective efforts in ensuring stability along the LAC in the Western Sector and jointly maintain peace and tranquility," the statement read.

India and China have been engaged in diplomatic and military talks after tensions began rising along the high-altitude border in 2020. The situation escalated when 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a skirmish in mid-June last year at the Galwan Valley in Ladakh.