What led to India-China breakthrough in border row

India and China have started disengagement at the south and north banks of the Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh from Feb 10. The months-long conflict between the two nations at the border came to an end after nine rounds of talks between the two sides.

Hyderabad: As the frontline troops of China and India at the south and north banks of the Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh have started disengagement from Wednesday, here is a report on how both sides reached a breakthrough after rounds of talks.

On June 06, 2020: The first round of talks lasted 7 hours

India demands: The Indian side, while asserting that it was upgrading infrastructure well within its own territory, asked the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to adhere to bilateral agreements and border management protocols, including specific provisions in the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement of 2013, sources said. PLA will have to withdraw its troops who intruded into Indian territory at four-five confrontation sites at Pangong Tso, Gogra-Hot Springs area and Galwan Valley region.

Outcome:Both sides agreed to peacefully resolve the situation in the border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements,” the ministry of external affairs said.

On June 22, 2020: TheSecond round of talks spanned for 11 hours

India demands: India pressed for the withdrawal of Chinese troops from Indian territory in the Pangong Tso area of eastern Ladakh, India strongly reiterated its demand for restoration of status quo as it existed in mid-April, which would involve People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops pulling back from the “Finger 4 to 8” (mountainous spurs separated by an 8-km distance) area on the northern bank of Pangong Tso as well as de-inducting its military build-ups in areas facing the Galwan Valley, Gogra-Hotsprings, Depsang and Chushul in eastern Ladakh.

Outcome: India and China agreed on a gradual and verifiable disengagement from their over 50-day troop confrontation in different areas of eastern Ladakh, which will eventually lead to the two sides also thinning out their massive military build-up along the 3,488km Line of Actual Control.

On June 30, 2020:Third round of talks which went for 12 hour

India demands:India asks China to adhere to the broad de-escalation and disengagement plan of June 22, with gradual, verifiable and mutual troop pullback from the confrontation sites in eastern Ladakh, followed by reduction in the rival military build-ups along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In particular asked the PLA to pull back from the ‘Finger-4 to 8’ stretch (mountainous spurs separated over a distance of 8 km) on the north bank of Pangong Tso, ‘Patrolling Point-14 (PP-14)’ in Galwan Valley and the ‘Bottleneck’ area in Depsang Plains of eastern Ladakh.

Outcome:India, China agree to restart Galwan, Hot Springs pullback, But Generals Fail To Resolve Face-Off At Pangong Tso.

On July 14, 2020:The fourth round of talks went for 14 and half hours

India demands:India presses for the restoration of the status quo as it existed before PLA soldiers intruded into eastern Ladakh at multiple locations in a well-planned operation in early-May 2020.

India also asked for a time-bound road map for deinduction of the around 30,000 troops each amassed by the two sides, along with artillery guns, tanks and other heavy weaponry, in the ‘depth areas’ along the 1,597-km frontier in eastern Ladakh.

Outcome:The two sides took back each other’s proposals to their politico-military hierarchies for a review and authorisation to finalise a road map for phase-II of the proposed de-escalation plan after concrete disengagement is first achieved on the face-off sites, said top government sources.

On August 02, 2020 : 5th round of talks went for 11 hours

India demands:The Indian army has categorically conveyed to China’s PLA at the fifth round of military talks it will not compromise on India’s territorial integrity, and clearly said disengagement of troops from Pangong Tso and a few other friction points in eastern Ladakh should be completed at the earliest.

On September 21, 2020 : 6th round went for 14 hours

India asked China for “concrete and complete” troop disengagement from ‘friction points’ at Pangong Tso, Chushul and Gogra-Hot Springs as well as the finalisation of the roadmap for deescalation along the entire frontier in eastern Ladakh.

Read:Chinese and Indian border troops disengage

Outcome: India and China have agreed not to further escalate the border situation through a series of measures, which significantly includes not sending more troops to forward areas, but a tangible breakthrough on de-escalation eluded the marathon military commander-level talks.

On October 12, 2020 : 7th round of talks

India demands:India continued with its “all or none” approach asking China for “complete de-escalation” at troop face-off sites as well as along the entire frontier in eastern Ladakh during the seventh round of top-level military talks .

PLA insisted that Indian troops first vacate the tactical heights they preemptively occupied on the ridgeline stretching from Thakung on the south bank of Pangong Tso to Gurung Hill, Spanggur Gap, Magar Hill, Mukhpari, Rezang La and Reqin La (Rechin mountain pass) on August 29-30.

Outcome: According to the joint press release.

Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, not to turn differences into disputes, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

On November 06, 2020 : 8th round of talks

Outcome: According to the Joint statement :Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, ensure their frontline troops exercise restraint and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation.

On January 24, 2021 : 9th round of talks went for 10 hours

India demands: India made it clear that the proposed disengagement had to simultaneously take place at all the faceoff sites, including the north bank of Pangong Tso where PLA has occupied and fortified the 8-km stretch between ‘Finger 4 to 8’ (mountainous spurs) since May.

Outcome:In the joint statement, the two militaries agreed to follow the “important consensus of their state leaders, maintain the good momentum of dialogue and negotiation” and hold the 10th round of corps commander talks at an early date. The two sides will “continue” their efforts to ensure their frontline troops exercise restraint, stabilise and control the situation along LAC in the western sector of eastern Ladakh to “jointly maintain peace and tranquillity.

On February 10, 2021:India and China kicked off initial disengagement in the Pangong Tso area of east Ladakh — the first easing after a military confrontation lasting over nine months — by pulling back some tanks, howitzers and armored vehicles.

India and China have reached an agreement on disengagement in the North and South bank of Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh that mandates both sides to cease forward deployment of troops in a "phased, coordinated and verifiable" manner, defence minister Rajnath Singh announced in Parliament today , in a breakthrough after a nine-month border standoff.