Rajnath Singh to make statement on Ladakh situation in Parliament

China announced that Beijing and New Delhi have started "synchronised and organised disengagement" at the southern and northern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake

Amid reports of disengagement at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will make statement in both the Houses of Parliament on Thursday.

According to reports, the disengagement by Indian and Chinese frontline troops from the flashpoints at Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh began on Wednesday, with officials claiming that the process is taking place in a step-by-step manner.

Soldiers of both the countries were battling minus 30-degree Celsius temperature in some parts of the disputed India-China border. The two countries had deployed thousands of troopers along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

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

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, removal of tanks and weapons 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. India has not issued any statement in this regard so far.

The proposals for disengagement include China moving back to Finger 8 and Indian troops pulling back to the Dhan Singh Thapa post between Finger 2 and 3. This will make Finger 4 a 'no go' zone for sometime for both the sides.

--IANS

miz/dpb