India and China last week kicked off initial disengagement in the Pangong Tso area of eastern Ladakh - the first easing after a prolonged military confrontation - by pulling back some tanks, howitzers and armoured vehicles. This will be followed by withdrawal of rival frontline troops from the ‘friction points’ if the phased deescalation plan does not derail like it did after the Galwan Valley clashes in June last year.
The Chinese defence ministry announced the “synchronised and organised disengagement” from the north and south banks of Pangong Tso in accordance with the “consensus reached” in the ninth round of the corps commander-level talks on January 24.
India keeps close watch
India is keeping a close watch on the mutual disengagement underway, tallying it with the phased pullback specified in the written agreement inked between the two countries. “The disengagement on both sides of Pangong Tso is progressing well so far… it is slightly ahead of schedule in some positions. The effort is to complete this Phase-I of disengagement by February 20,” a senior official said.
India insisted on a written pact for the Pangong Tso disengagement, which was approved by the country’s high-powered China Study Group just before the actual pullback kicked off on February 10, due to the continuing trust deficit with China. “The formal agreement details the exact steps each side will take for complete Phase-I disengagement. Each step is being verified both physically on the ground as well as through electronic surveillance through drones, including quadcopters, and satellites,” the official said.
Within 48 hours of completing the Pangong Tso disengagement, India and China will hold the tenth round of corps commander-level talks to focus on the strategically-located Depsang Plains as well as the continuing ‘friction points’ like Gogra and Hot Springs. “Patrolling Points 15 and 17 at Hot Springs and Gogra are unlikely to pose a major problem. They are relatively less soldiers in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation there. But Depsang, where the two sides have amassed infantry brigades and tank regiments, will be quite tricky,” another officer said.
The initial steps are positive on both the north and south banks of Pangong Tso, with some simultaneous mutual pullback taking place smoothly. But it will be a very long haul in the sequential disengagement, de-escalation and de-induction process, with the progress being monitored and verified at every stage,” a top Indian source said.
Indian troops continue to hold their tactically-advantageous positions on the ridge line in the Chushul sector, stretching from Thakung to Gurung Hill, Spanggur Gap, Magar Hill, Mukhpari, Rezang La and Reqin La (Rechin mountain pass), which they occupied on August 28-30, sources said.
India to raise Depsang in next meet
India will raise the issue of the strategically-located Depsang area in Ladakh with China in the next round of corps commander-level talks, amid some concerns that it may have squandered its major bargaining leverage by agreeing to vacate the Kailash range heights for just the Pangong Tso disengagement pact.
