General Upendra Dwivedi indicated that several steps are required before disengagement, de-escalation and normal management of the border can be achieved.
“We are trying to restore trust. How will the trust get restored? It will get restored once we are able to see each other and we are able to convince each other that look ‘the buffer zones which are there, which have been created… we are not creeping into buffer zones’… and both have to reassure each other,” he said.”Patrolling gives you that kind of advantage… and as we restore the trust, the other stages will also follow through,” he added, referring to larger de-escalation that will involve pulling back thousands of troops that have been forward deployed in eastern Ladakh since 2020.
The external affairs ministry had said that a patrolling agreement has been reached with China that will restore the status quo as of April 2020. It is learnt that as part of the larger deal, there will be an easing of positions in Arunachal that have seen flare-ups in the past four years.
Sources said two areas in particular are part of the new deal with China – Yangtse and Asaphila.Yangtse was the location of a large clash between Indian and Chinese troops in December 2022 that reignited tensions. The clash took place after Chinese troops tried to transgress across LAC and attempted to dismantle new defences put up by the Army. The attack took place on an Indian post that overlooks newly created PLA infrastructure and was thwarted. The thickly forested Asaphila sector has also seen frequent faceoffs and minor clashes over past few years.Arunachal more complicated
Sources said larger disengagement and de-escalation process in Arunachal is much more complicated than the situation in Ladakh and is expected to take longer time, more effort and dialogue with China.
