Umamageswari Maruthappan
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh publicized on 11th February 2021 about the disengagement of India and China from the North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake.
“The agreement envisages that both sides will cease their forward deployments in a phased, coordinated and verified manner,” said Rajnath Singh in the Rajya Sabha.
“The Chinese Side will keep its troop presence in the North Bank area to east of Finger 8. Reciprocally, the Indian troops will be based at their permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3,” read the statement.
It further added that “similar actions would be taken in the South Bank area by both sides.” Singh further stated that the steps taken in this regard are “mutual and reciprocal”.
It further affirmed that “structures built by both sides since April 2020 in both the bank areas will be removed and the landforms. H will be restored.”
Both the countries have agreed for a “temporary moratorium” on the military activities. The present agreement is expected to bring back the situation to normal as it was before the stand-off.
The current consensus was decided at the ninth round of the Corps Commander Level Talks on 24th January 2021.
A confrontation between India and China broke out when the latter had stopped the former’s personnel from entering beyond Finger 4 area of Pangong Tso. Earlier, the Indian troops could monitor up to Finger 8.
The North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake saw various clashes since April 2020 when the confrontation first broke. Both the countries have now agreed for disengagement from 10th February 2020 thereby expecting to restore the position prior to April 2020.
