India-China Disengagement To Complete Today, LAC Patrolling With Small Groups To Begin After Verification

The disengagement of Indian and Chinese forces in Ladakh's Depsang and Demchok areas is anticipated to conclude by Tuesday (29 October) allowing both armies to start "coordinated" patrols in zones they couldn’t access since the standoff began in April 2020, according to Army sources.

Army officials have reported that most temporary structures in these locations have been dismantled, with partial verification already conducted by both sides using ground checks and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Troops from both nations are now being relocated to rear positions as part of the disengagement plan. Patrols to previously inaccessible points since April 2020 will be limited to small groups of 10 to 15 soldiers.

The verification of this disengagement is a mutual effort, with both armies coordinating and including officers from each side in the process. Publicly available satellite images also indicate that temporary structures in Depsang and Demchok have been removed by China.

India and China have faced a prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since Chinese incursions began over four years ago.

Last week, following India’s announcement of a patrolling agreement in Depsang Plains and Demchok, China confirmed that both sides were "engaged in relevant work," describing it as progressing smoothly.

Following verification, coordinated patrolling is set to commence within two days, with advance notice from each side to avoid any confrontations. Similar arrangements are reportedly being developed in Arunachal Pradesh’s Yangtse, Asaphila, and Subansiri valleys.

In Depsang, Indian forces will soon have access to patrolling points beyond the bottleneck where Chinese troops previously restricted entry. In Demchok, Indian troops are expected to patrol at Track Junction and Charding Nullah.

While large Indian troop deployments to Ladakh from 2020 will remain in place, these forces will not withdraw until broader agreement on border patrolling mechanisms and conditions for mutual trust and verification are fully established, officials stated.