NEW DELHI: Disengagement enters the important phase after retreat in three areas of standoff in Eastern Ladakh, Corps Commanders of India and China scheduled to meet in the coming week to chart out retreat of larger troop formations and their equipment.
Troops of both sides reported seen retreating from Finger 4 area on Thursday. "The Corps Commanders will be meeting in the coming week to discuss and decide on retreat of larger troop formations and the heavy equipment, tanks and artillery," told a senior officer.
Confirming the additional disengagement officer said, "Mutual disengagement form the areas of Galwan, Hot Springs and Gogra are complete and verified and there has been some thinning at the Finger 4 area from both sides was observed, the Chinese troops have moved back to Finger 5".
But the officer confirmed presence of some troops on the ridge of Finger 4. The retreat in other areas is of around two kilometers back from the location of standoff.
India has maintained that LAC passes through Finger 8 where the Chines have their military camp. They had moved around 10 kilometers inside to the Finger 4 on the intervening night of May 5 and 6 when the Chinese troops attacked Indian soldiers leading to a standoff.
Lt Gen Harinder Singh from India and Maj Gen Lin Liu of China will be meeting for the fourth time next week to decide on the next phase of moving back of troops. "This is expected to take longer time as there is presence of large body of troops and their supporting equipment including the armoured vehicles, Artillery Guns and support equipments," the source added