The two Asian giants – India and China – have agreed to “quickly disengage” and take steps to restore “peace and tranquility” at the Line of Actual Control – which serves as the de facto border between the two countries – as their foreign ministers met in Moscow on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting. Experts, however, say that though the five-point agreement was a “satisfactory step”, China’s ‘dialogue’ and ‘de-escalation’ approach should be taken with a pinch of salt and the way forward “will neither be easy nor smooth”.

“While the joint statement is a satisfactory step, the discordant note struck after it was issued shows that the resolution of the situation that has arisen on account of the Chinese moves, will neither be easy nor smooth,” says Vivek Katju, former secretary Ministry of External Affairs.

The two countries have been engaged in a standoff since April-May over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas, including the Finger area, Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Kongrung Nala. On June 18, the situation worsened after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley.

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On Monday, shots were fired across the LAC for the first time in 45 years with the two sides accusing each other of firing in the air. India has deployed troops on major hilltops of the region in response to large scale troops and military equipment deployment by the Chinese PLA.

Through this sizeable deployment, Indian soldiers presently occupy “heights overlooking the Chinese deployment on Finger 4”. Any Chinese move to counter this would mean a Chinese deployment to an altitude of approximately 19,700 feet, extremely challenging from a military stand-point. Indian soldiers were deployed widely across the region dominating key positions such as Mukhpari, Gurung Hill, Magar Hill, Rezang La and Richin La, after 200 Chinese soldiers moved to dominate the heights in South Pangong on the night of August 29-30.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Thursday highlighted India’s “strong concern at the massing of Chinese troops with equipment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)”.

Lt General AB Shivane PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) says, “The joint statement on border disengagement somehow seems disadvantageous to India and vague to be implemented. Chinese do not seem to have agreed to restore the status quo ante. There are no timelines or specific time bound commitments. The understanding on quick disengagement is ambiguous and unrealistic.”

The statement, he says, does not seem to give any positive assurance except a “sweet talk”.

“The onus rests with China, initiatives in all domains should be with us, that is the challenge. Occupation of dominating positions by us on either side of Spanggur Gap is what has put pressure on Chinese,” adds Lt. General Shivane (Retd), who is also a Strategic Defence Analyst.

The joint statement by the two nations reached a five-point consensus and echoed that the current border situation is not in their interests and that troops from both sides should quickly disengage and ease tensions.

The much-awaited meeting “apparently went along predictable lines, as both were in no position to yield. So, as is generally the outcome of such talks held between ‘intermediaries’, in a militarily charged atmosphere, both sides ended up in simply ‘agreeing to disagree’, a very commonly used exit phrase in such high voltage diplomatic deadlocks. While not much has been revealed by the Indian side, the Chinese state controlled media on the other hand has been raving and ranting its usual rhetoric all through the talks,” says Colonel Fasih Ahmed (Retd).

Taking a dig at Pakistan, Colonel Ahmed (Retd), who is also a strategic and defence commentator, says, “the most humorous part that is trickling down in public domain is Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s assurance given to China that ‘Pakistan stands firmly behind China on core issues of its (Chinese) national interest’ and that ‘India’s expansionist actions have been imperilling regional peace and security’.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, on Friday told the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence that India’s armed forces are ready for any eventuality.