India insists on total disengagement at LAC
NEW DELHI: India on Thursday asserted the need for early and complete disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh as decided during the discussions with special representatives of China.
“The two Special Representatives had agreed that early and complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation from India-China border areas in accordance with bilateral agreement and protocols and full restoration of peace and tranquility was essential for the smooth overall development of bilateral relations,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
India is committed to the objective and expects the Chinese side to work sincerely towards it, Srivastava added.
“We also expect that the Chinese side will work with us sincerely for complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas.”
In July, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to Ladakh had asserted that the progress in the talks with China should lead to a resolution of the issue.
However, there was no guarantee to what extent the issue would be resolved, he had said while addressing the troops at the Lukung Border Observation Post (BOP) near Pangong Tso.
Meanwhile, the Defence m for the first time officially accepted on its website that Chinese troops transgressed into multiple areas, also expressing a possibility of the situation at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh getting “prolonged”. However, the ministry later removed the document.
“The Chinese side transgressed in the areas of Kugrang Nala, Gogra (PP-17A) and the north bank of Pangong Tso on May 17-18,” a document, uploaded on the ministry’s website said on Tuesday. The document added that while military and diplomatic dialogue on “unilateral aggression” continues, the situation remains sensitive and requires close monitoring.
Quoting the second corps commander-level talks on June 22, it said, “While engagement and dialogue at military and diplomatic level is continuing to arrive at a mutually acceptable consensus, the present standoff is likely to be prolonged.
The situation in eastern Ladakh arising from unilateral aggression by China continues to be sensitive and requires close monitoring and prompt action based on the evolving situation.” But, the document uploaded on Tuesday was removed on Thursday from the website.