India-China Reach Deal on Patrols Along LAC

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday (October 21) told media in a special briefing that India and China had reached an agreement on patrolling along Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The significant announcement has come just a day before BRICS Summit is set to start in Russia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Russia to attend the summit.

Misri said that the agreement between the two countries was a result of discussion with Chinese interlocutors. The foreign secretary said that the agreement is a step towards dis-engagement and eventual resolution of the situation that arose due to Chinese actions in the year 2020.

"We have been in discussion with Chinese interlocuters through WMCC as was mentioned earlier and at the military level as well through meetings of the military commanders at various levels. These discussions have in the past resulted in the resolution of standoffs at various locations. You are also aware that there were a few locations where the standoff had not been resolved," said Misri as quoted by ANI.

"Now as a result of the discussions that have taken place over the last several weeks an agreement has been arrived at on patroling arrangements along the line of actual control in the India-China border areas and this is leading to dis-engagement and eventually a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020."

There is no official word as yet about whether PM Modi and President Xi will hold bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

In August, India and China held a meeting under Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC). India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that both sides had "a frank, constructive and forward-looking exchange of views on the situation along the LAC to narrow down the differences"

"In line with the guidance provided by two Foreign Ministers' meetings in Astana and Vientiane in July 2024 to accelerate their discussion, and building on the WMCC meeting held last month, the two sides had a frank, constructive and forward-looking exchange of views on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to narrow down the differences and find early resolution of the outstanding issues. For this, they further agreed for intensified contact through diplomatic and military channels," the ministry said in a release on August 29.