(TibetanReview.net, Nov07’24) –India and China are steadily moving towards normalizing their Tibet-border situation and with it their bilateral ties, though this is subject to drawn out discussions at different levels over a period of time. Currently, while the disengagement process at Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh is completed, negotiations between Indian and Chinese officials continue for buffer zones like Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra, and Hotsprings, reported indiatoday.in Nov 4.
This was confirmed by India’s External affairs minister S Jaishankar who said on Nov 5 that the “disengagement chapter” with China had been concluded, marking the end of a recent phase in troop withdrawal across contested border zones along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near Depsang and Demchok, reported the timesofindia.com Nov 5.
“The disengagement chapter has been done…the part which awaits us is de-escalation which is the build-up of forces along LoC…,” firstpost.com Nov 5 quoted Jaishankar as saying in Canberra, Australia, during the inaugural session of “Raisina down under 2024” hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI).
With it, the Indian Army is now shifting its focus on defining patrolling protocols to ensure stable management of the LAC. Maintaining vigilance across the boundary remains a priority as both nations work through friction points and deliberate on establishing buffer zones in critical areas, said the ndtv.com report.
It said the Oct 21 disengagement agreement will allow a phased resumption of patrols in the two areas, which had been highly restricted since 2020 due to heightened military presence and recurring confrontations.
Buffer zones previously established in areas such as the Galwan Valley, North and South Pangong Tso, Gogra, and Hotsprings in Ladakh were also stated to have been a key focus of discussions. These zones were set up as temporary no-patrol areas by mutual agreement in response to heightened hostilities during earlier talks.
However, while the current disengagement agreement permits patrol resumption in Demchok and Depsang, similar arrangements for the above mentioned buffer zones remain unresolved. Talks on these zones are ongoing, spanning both military and diplomatic avenues, the report said.
“The talks have been ongoing for all friction points along the LAC, but so far, an agreement has only been reached for resumption of patrols at Demchok and Depsang. Dialogue over the remaining buffer zones is still active at multiple levels,” a source close to the discussions was stated to have told India Today TV.
The next round of corps commander-level talks is expected to advance these discussions, the report said.
Jaishankar recently confirmed India’s continued focus on achieving steady progress through sustained diplomatic and military channels. “India is closely watching developments post-agreement and remains hopeful for further progress,” he had said.
After the completion of the disengagement process, India and China will have to address other challenges during the planned meetings of the National Security Advisers and foreign ministers from the two sides, the hindustantimes.com Nov 5 cited Jaishankar as saying.
“At the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, what was agreed was that Foreign Minister and National Security Advisor would meet their counterparts…how do we actually see this relation is that…it is quite a challenge because you have two most populous countries in the world, both of whom have been rising, in a broadly parallel time frame…,” the firstpost.com report quoted Jaishankar as saying at the event in Australia.