NEW DELHI: An agreement has been reached with China on disengagement in the North and South Bank of Pangong Lake in Ladakh, as part of which both Indian and Chinese troops will cease their forward deployments in the region in a phased, coordinated and verified manner. Apprising the Rajya Sabha of the terms of understanding reached after sustained military and diplomatic engagement with the Chinese side, Singh said the de-escalation, which comes almost 10 months since the neighbour amassed large number of troops and armaments in the border areas adjacent to Eastern Ladakh, will see the Chinese troop presence in North Bank area restricted to east of Finger 8 while Indian troops will be based at their permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa post at Finger 3.
A similar action would be taken in the South Bank area. Singh added that as per the agreement reached with the Chinese side after sustained military and diplomatic engagement, any structures built by both sides since April 2020 in North and South Bank areas will be removed and landforms restored. A temporary moratorium on military activities by both sides in North Bank has also been agreed upon, including suspension of patrolling to the traditional areas. “Patrolling will be resumed only when both sides reach an agreement in diplomatic and military talks that would be held subsequently. The implementation of this agreement has started yesterday in the North and South Bank of the Pangong Lake. It will substantially restore the situation to that existing prior to commencement of the standoff last year,” the minister said in a suo motu statement.
It has also been agreed to convene the next meeting of the senior commanders within 48 hours after the complete disengagement in Pangong Lake area so as to address and resolve all other remaining issues.
“I want to assure this House that in these talks we have not conceded anything,” the minister said adding that some outstanding issues remain with regard to deployment and patrolling at some other points along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. “These will be the focus of further discussions with the Chinese side. We have agreed that both sides should achieve complete disengagement at the earliest and abide fully by the bilateral agreements and protocols. By now, the Chinese side is also fully aware of our resolve. It is therefore our expectation that the Chinese side will work with us in full sincerity to resolve these remaining issues,” he stated.
Since September 2020, based on the policy guidance, military and diplomatic officials of both sides met several times to work out a mutually acceptable solution for disengagement. Till date, there have been 9 rounds of meetings of the senior commanders of both sides. Diplomatic talks have continued in parallel under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).
“Our approach and strategy for negotiations with the Chinese side has been guided at the highest level by the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s resolve that we will not give even an inch of Indian territory. Our tenacity and approach during talks have yielded results,” Singh told the Rajya Sabha.
As per Singh, the Indian approach to engagement with China on the issue maintained three key principles: that both sides should strictly respect and observe the LAC; neither side should attempt to alter status quo unilaterally; and all agreements and understandings between the two sides must be fully abided by in their entirety. “To ensure disengagement in friction points along the LAC, it was our view that troops of both sides, who are now in close proximity, should vacate the forward deployments made in 2020 and return to the permanent and accepted bases,” he added.
Apart from having amassed a large number of troops and armaments in the border areas adjacent to Eastern Ladakh since April-May 2020, the Chinese side had also made several attempts to transgress the LAC in various parts. “These actions of the Chinese side had been detected and appropriately responded to by our armed forces. The House and the Nation had also paid homage to the brave Indian soldiers who had made the supreme sacrifice and laid down their lives in the cause of defending the territorial integrity of India,” said the minister.
“Our armed forces too had made adequate and effective counter deployments in these areas to ensure that India’s security interests were fully protected. I am proud to say that our Armed Forces have responded to the challenges posed by the unilateral Chinese action and have shown valour and courage on both South and North bank of Pangong Tso. Many strategically important points were identified and our troops positioned themselves at those hilltops and at locations which were very important from our point of view. It is because of this great bravery of our Armed Forces in the face of harsh adverse climatic conditions that we maintained the edge. Our Armed Forces proved yet again that territorial integrity of our country remains safe in their hands and their grit and determination to safeguard our borders is unwavering,” said Singh.
Stating that actions by the Chinese side since last year had seriously disturbed peace and tranquility and also impacted the overall relationship, Singh said that during the various interactions with the Chinese side — including at the level of the defence minister, foreign minister and national security adviser — it was made clear that the foremost need was to ensure disengagement in all the friction points along the LAC in the western sector so as to help restore peace and tranquility.
Recapitulating the situation on the ground, Singh China had illegally occupied approximately 38,000 sq. kms in the Union Territory of Ladakh, mainly during the 1962 conflict. In addition, under the Sino-Pakistan ‘boundary agreement’ of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir to China. “China, thus is in illegal occupation of more than 43,000 sq. kms of Indian territory. It also claims approximately 90,000 sq km of Indian territory in the Eastern Sector of the India-China boundary in Arunachal Pradesh,” he said adding that “India has never accepted this illegal occupation of our territory or the unjustified claims”.
“India has consistently maintained that while bilateral relations can develop in parallel with discussions on resolving the boundary question, any serious disturbance in peace and tranquility along the LAC in the border areas is bound to have adverse implications for the direction of our bilateral ties. The Chinese side is well aware of our position. In fact, various high-level joint statements have acknowledged this point that maintenance of peace and tranquility along the LAC in the border areas is a fundamental premise for development of relations,” he noted.
“I am confident that this entire House, irrespective of political affiliations, is united together for upholding our sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and national security. And further, this House is one in sending out the same message demonstrating the strength and unity of our nation to the entire world,” he stated. Though some members in the Opposition benches, including Congress MPs A K Antony and Jairam Ramesh, sought clarifications on the defence minister’s statement, the same was not allowed by Chairman Venkaiah Naidu as the further discussion on the Budget was already scheduled.