India-China face-off ends, troops pull back from Ladakh

NEW DELHI: Indian and Chinese troops on Friday began to withdraw from their forward positions in the Chumar sector of eastern Ladakh after a 16-day military face-off there, in tune with the agreement to de-escalate tensions and refrain from construction in "disputed areas" along the undemarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The modalities of the phased troop withdrawal, which will be completed within a couple of days, were worked out at the fourth flag meeting held between the rival armies at the Spanggur Gap on Thursday evening, with major-generals leading the two delegations, as reported by TOI.

On Friday, around one-third of the around 750 soldiers of People's Liberation Army withdrew from the "disputed area" between the Chumar Indian post and Chepzi, the site of the face-off since September 10.

With both sides continuing to closely tracking each other's troop pullback, another flag meeting is likely to be held on September 30 after the disengagement is fully done. "Since there are no built-up defences or logistical lines in the disputed area, withdrawal can take place swiftly," said a source.

As per the understanding achieved after intense military and diplomatic negotiations, the PLA will not extend the road it was trying to construct in the "disputed area". India, in turn, will demolish the recently-built observation hut at Tible in the sector and refrain from building bunkers there in order to restore the pre-September 10 status quo ante.

The face-off at Chumar, where Indian troops enjoy a tactical advantage, was similar to the 21-day Depsang Valley stand-off in the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector in April-May last year just before Chinese premier Li Keqiang's visit to India. The PLA troops had withdrawn after Indian soldiers had simultaneously dismantled " tin sheds" it had erected in the Chumar sector.