As you are aware India and China remain engaged through both diplomatic and military channels to ensure complete disengagement along the India-China border areas. This is in accordance with the agreement of the Special Representatives of India and China that early and complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and de-escalation from India-China border areas in accordance with bilateral agreement and protocols and full restoration of peace and tranquility was essential for the smooth overall development of bilateral relations. Several meetings of WMCC and also of Senior Commanders have taken place wherein both sides have discussed the implementation of the ongoing disengagement process and further steps to ensure it is completed at the earliest. Further meetings are likely to happen in the near future.

I had conveyed last month that both sides have agreement on broad principles of disengagement and based on it, some progress had been earlier made. I must add that translating these principles on ground is a complex process that requires re-deployment of troops by each side towards their regular posts on their respective sides of the LAC. It is natural that this can be done only through mutually agreed reciprocal actions.

While we would like the ongoing disengagement process to be completed at the earliest, it is important to bear in mind that achieving this requires agreed actions by both sides. We therefore expect that the Chinese side to sincerely work with us towards the objective of complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas as agreed by the Special Representatives.

This is also necessary and essential in the context of overall development of our bilateral relationship. As External Affairs Minister had noted in a recent interview “the state of the border and the future of our ties, cannot be separated”.

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