New Delhi: The Indian Army is focused on rebuilding trust with its Chinese counterparts, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi stated on Tuesday. This announcement follows the recent patrolling agreement reached between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which serves as the de facto border between the two nations.
General Dwivedi expressed that the restoration of trust hinges on transparent communication and mutual assurance that neither side is encroaching upon established buffer zones. He stated, “This rebuilding of trust will occur once we are able to see each other and convince and reassure each other.”
The Army Chief outlined that the primary objective is to revert military relations with China to the conditions that existed prior to April 2020, before the violent confrontations in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley heightened tensions between the two countries. “We want to go back to the status quo of April 2020… after which we will look at disengagement and de-escalation, leading to normal management of the LAC,” he emphasized.
Earlier this month, General Dwivedi had indicated that an agreement was close, noting that several less critical issues had been addressed, with only the more complex matters remaining to be resolved. On Monday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed the patrolling agreement and stated that both nations are continuing to work on disengagement and resolving tensions that have persisted since May 2020.
The agreement comes after nearly two dozen rounds of discussions between Indian and Chinese military officials and diplomats, with the latest meeting held on August 29. It emphasizes the importance of restoring peace and tranquillity and respecting the LAC as fundamental to normalizing bilateral relations.
The patrolling deal specifically pertains to the Depsang and Demchok areas, which are critical for India. Depsang provides access to the Daulat Beg Oldie airstrip and safeguards vital logistics centers from potential threats posed by Chinese troops. Demchok is notably divided by the LAC, with India controlling the western portion claimed by China.
This diplomatic breakthrough precedes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia for the BRICS summit, which begins today.
