India, China to patrol once a week in Demchok, Depsang

Armies of India and China have agreed to carry out one coordinated patrol every week in the Demchok and Depsang areas in the eastern Ladakh sector and have already completed one round of patrolling there.

The two sides had started coordinated patrols in the first week of the month after completing disengagement in both Demchok and Depsang in the last week of October.

The two sides have agreed to carry out one patrol each by both sides every week in Depsang and Demchok. In each area, one patrol would be carried out by Indian troops and one patrol would be done by the Chinese troops, defence sources told ANI.

The two sides reached the agreement for disengagement from Depsang and Demchok in Eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control after multiple rounds of talks at political, diplomatic and military levels.

Indian and Chinese sides will continue to hold ground commanders-level of engagements at regular intervals in these areas.

The two sides have also carried out verification patrols to ascertain the process of disengagement after the agreements were reached.

India and China had commenced troop disengagement from two friction points at Demchok and Depsang Plains in eastern Ladakh after being engaged in a four-year military standoff.

Relations between India and China were tense since a violent clash occurred in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, causing the most serious military conflict between the two nations in decades. (ANI)