India and China agree to disengage in Gogra area of eastern Ladakh: Army

India and China on Friday agreed to pull out troops from the disputed region of Gogra Heights in Eastern Ladakh. This is the third disengagement at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, after Galwan and Pangong Tso in February this year.

The Army said on Friday that both the sides have ceased forward deployments in the region in “phased, coordinated and verified manner.” This was the outcome of the 12th round of military talks between the two nations held at Chushul Moldo on July 31, reports PTI, quoting the Indian Army.

The Army added that all temporary structures and other allied infrastructure created in the area by both sides were dismantled and mutually verified. The landform in the area has been restored by both sides to pre-stand off period, reports ANI.

The standoff between the two countries started with bloody clashes in Galwan Valley of Ladakh in June 2020 in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed. This was preceded by Chinese and Indian troops engaged in aggressive postures, face-offs and skirmishes along the Sino-Indian border, including near the disputed Pangong Lake in Ladakh and the Tibet Autonomous Region. Several rounds of talks that followed failed to thaw the chill between the two Asian nations.

The Friday’s agreement ensures that the LAC in Ladakh area will be strictly observed and respected by both sides, and that there is no unilateral change in status quo, the agency added, quoting the Indian Army.

On India’s part, the Indian Army along with ITBP is totally committed to ensure the sovereignty of the nation and maintain peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector, the Army added.

The Opposition has called earlier disengagement announcements “surrender” of India’s rights. Former defence minister and senior Congress leader AK Antony had said in February, “Both disengagements in Galwan and Pangong Tso are a surrender, We are surrendering our rights.” He added Galwan Valley as Indian territory was never a disputed land even in 1962.

Antony had warned that the government was not understanding the importance of this disengagement and creation of the buffer zone and said, “Disengagement and buffer zone means surrender of our land at the moment.”