India, China wrap up LAC disengagement in eastern Ladakh

India and China on Wednesday completed the disengagement of their armies from Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh, with both sides now carrying out joint verification of the troop and equipment pullback to a specified and mutually agreed distance from the face-off sites, people aware of the development said.

The final verification is being done in line with the agreement reached by India and China on October 21 to reduce border tensions.

As part of the disengagement process, the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have pulled back their forward-deployed troops and equipment from the two flashpoints along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC), and dismantled temporary structures that had come up there after the military standoff began in May 2020.

Patrolling modalities will be decided between ground commanders (brigadiers and below), said another person.