Indian and Chinese troops have started withdrawing from Gogra-Hot Springs in Ladakh
New Delhi:
Indian and Chinese troops have started withdrawing from Gogra-Hot Springs in Ladakh after reaching a consensus in the 16th round of military talks, the two sides said in a joint statement this evening.
The Chinese forces in this area are likely to return to pre-2020 positions, sources have said.
India and China have been able to disengage so far from the Galwan region where fierce clashes between soldiers of both sides took place in June 2020, in which 20 Indian soldiers laid down their lives for the country. Over 40 Chinese soldiers were killed or injured.
There have also been breakthroughs on both banks of Pangong Lake further south in Ladakh.
However, Chinese soldiers are still believed to hold large swathes of Indian territory to the north in the Depsang plains.
“On 8th September 2022, according to the consensus reached in the 16th round of India China Corps Commander Level Meeting, the Indian and Chinese troops in the area of Gogra-Hot Springs (PP-15) have begun to disengage in a coordinated and planned way, which is conducive to the peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” the joint statement said today.
The 16th round of Corps Commander level talks between India and China were held on July 17. Before that, the two sides met for talks in March.
