New Delhi/Leh, 31st October 2024– Indian and Chinese frontline troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh marked Diwali with a symbolic exchange of sweets at multiple locations on Thursday, a gesture that comes amid recent steps toward disengagement in the region.
The exchange took place at five points along the LAC, including the strategic Karakoram Pass, Hot Springs, Kongka La, Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), and Spanggur Gap in Chushul, according to military sources. Each site saw a small group of eight to ten Indian soldiers meeting their Chinese counterparts for a brief salute and exchange, without any formal military ceremony. Hot Springs, notably, had been a focal point of prolonged military standoffs since April 2020.
These sites hold significance, with DBO and Spanggur Gap being designated meeting points for border personnel on ceremonial occasions prior to the April 2020 tensions. This latest interaction marks a modest return to such traditions after over three years of heightened tensions.
Following successful disengagement in certain areas, the Indian and Chinese forces announced the reopening of patrolling routes at Depsang and Demchok on October 21. The routes, particularly in the sensitive Depsang plateau, will allow Indian troops to patrol points 10, 11, 12, and 13, eastward of a key feature known as the “Bottleneck.”
As part of this arrangement, coordinated patrolling procedures are being established to reduce potential confrontations, with each side set to inform the other before launching patrols.
The Army has also confirmed the recent removal of temporary structures, cameras, and sensors from both sides in the region, which had previously been erected to restrict opposing patrols.
The current agreements, however, do not cover patrolling at other contentious spots such as Gogra, Pangong Tso, and Galwan, where previous disengagements occurred but remain off-limits for now.
