India, China begin disengagement from Pangong Lake in East Ladakh

New Delhi:The troops of India and China on Wednesday began their disengagement from the flashpoints at Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh in a calibrated manner, official sources said here.

Thousands of troopers from the both countries, deployed along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, have been battling at minus 30 degree Celsius temperature in some parts of the disputed India-China border since June 15 last year.

The disengagement plan on the northern and southern banks of Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh was based on a consensus reached during the ninth round of Corps Commander level meeting held between the two sides on January 24.

The Global Times, China's PLA mouthpiece, has also confirmed this disengagement process.

The standoff between the two neighbouring countries had even led to a brutal clash in Galwan Valley on June 15, wherein 20 Indian soldiers were killed, while China also suffered huge casualties. However, it has yet not revealed the figure.

After the ninth round of military talks, follow-up meetings between the ground level commanders happened, leading to the initiation of the disengagement process with thinning of troops from Wednesday.

Sources said that after the thinning of troops, tanks and weapons removal from the southern part of the lake will happen.

China issued a statement, saying that frontline troops at the southern and northern banks of Pangong Lake have started synchronised disengagement, however, India has not issued any statement in this regard so far.(UNI)