(LiveMint)
India and China are looking to de-escalate tensions through increased dialogue and by pulling back tens of thousands of troops from the Line of Actual Control (LAC). However, the process of disengagement in certain areas, such as the Pangong Tso Lake, has been extremely slow.
While another round of talks at the diplomatic and senior military commander levels is expected soon, Indian and Chinese troops have created buffer zones of 3-4km between them at three contentious locations—patrolling points 14, 15 and 17A, said Indian officials. The buffer zone across PP 17A is expected to be settled by Friday.
There was a “thinning” of Chinese presence at the Pangong Tso Lake area, where they had made considerable inroads into areas patrolled by the Indian Army, said an official, requesting anonymity. The Chinese have withdrawn from Finger 4, a post that had been under Indian control, to Finger 5, but are yet to move back to their earlier position, known as Finger 8, he added.
