India and China agree to respect LAC, complete ongoing disengagement

MEA press statement says agreement was reached between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

India and China on Monday agreed that both sides “should strictly respect and observe the LAC” and “should not take any unilateral action to alter the status-quo".

The two sides also agreed to complete the ongoing disengagement process along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) “expeditiously, so as to ensure “a phased and stepwise de-escalation” in their border areas.

After the agreement, it remains to be seen if Chinese troops would return to their posts behind the LAC.

There have been tensions in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley between Indian and Chinese troops since May. In violent clashes between the two sides on June 15, some 20 Indian troops were killed as were an unspecified number of Chinese soldiers. The two countries had taken to accuse each other of trying to change the status of the LAC. India had also accused China of amassing troops on the LAC.

According to a Ministry of External Affairs press statement, the agreement was reached between the special representatives of India and China on the boundary question – India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

“The two special representatives had a frank and in-depth exchange of views on the recent developments in the western sector of the India-China border areas,” the MEA said.

It said that the two special representatives agreed that both sides should take guidance from the consensus of the leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, that maintenance of peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas was essential for the further development of bilateral relations and that two sides should not allow differences to become disputes.

“Therefore, they agreed that it was necessary to ensure at the earliest complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation from India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquility,” the MEA said.

They agreed that both sides should complete the ongoing disengagement process along the LAC expeditiously, the MEA said.

The two sides should also ensure a phased and stepwise de-escalation in the India-China border areas, it said.

“They re-affirmed that both sides should strictly respect and observe the LAC and should not take any unilateral action to alter the status quo and work together to avoid any incident in the future that could disturb peace and tranquility in border areas,” it said.

The two special representatives agreed that the diplomatic and military officials of the two sides should continue their discussions, including under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC), and implement the understandings reached in a timely manner to achieve the above outcomes.

It was also agreed that the two special representatives will continue their conversations to ensure full and enduring restoration of peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas in accordance with the bilateral agreements and protocols.