Both Indian and Chinese troops exchanged sweets at several border points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on Diwali on Thursday, reported news agency ANI.
Soldiers of the Indian and Chinese Army exchange sweets at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the occasion of #Diwali.
(Source: Indian Army) pic.twitter.com/MwhGgIYQ98— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2024
This comes a day after India and China completed the disengagement at two friction points at Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh. The moves mark a fresh thaw in Sino-Indian ties.
"Sweets exchange between members of the troops of India and China took place at several border points along the LAC on the occasion of Diwali," an Army source told PTI.
As per reports, the exchange took place at five Border Personnel Metting (BPM) points along the LAC.
Dismantling of temporary structures in Depsang & Demchok is complete
As per reports, the dismantling of temporary structures in Depsang plains and Demchok is complete and the verification process was taking place almost at all such locations on the two sides. The verification process was being done physically as well as using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Troops on both sides have been withdrawn to be stationed at depth in the rear locations as part of the disengagement process. The patrolling, which will be undertaken to points hitherto inaccessible since April 2020 will be done by small parties of troops numbering around 10 to 15 soldiers.
India and China have been locked in a military standoff along the LAC in eastern Ladakh following Chinese incursions over four and half years ago.
Last week, four days after India announced that an agreement on patrolling in the Depsang Plains and Demchok had been reached with China, Beijing affirmed the same, saying that "the Chinese and Indian frontier troops are engaged in relevant work, which is going smoothly at the moment".
As per reports the completion of the verification process, and the coordinated patrolling will begin within the next two days. Prior information will be given by both sides so that there is no danger of a face-off.
India to be able to patrol beyond 'bottleneck' area in Depsang
In Depsang plains, Indian troops will now be able to patrol beyond the 'bottleneck' area as the Chinese had been preventing Indian troops from accessing the patrolling points that lay beyond.
‘Disengagement Process Is Nearly Complete,’ Says Defence Minister Rajnath Singh On India-China Truce At LAC
Patrolling likely to be till Charding Nullah in Demchok
In Demchok, Indian troops should now be able to get to the patrolling points at Track Junction and Charding Nullah.
However, the large number of Indian troops rushed to Ladakh after the stand-off in 2020 will continue to remain in place till a wider consensus on the border patrolling mechanism is reached with the Chinese.
A similar arrangement is also being worked out in Arunachal Pradesh where a stand-off developed in Yangtse, Asaphila and Subansiri Valleys had taken place.