The standoff at the LAC between India and China, ongoing since 2020, has come to an end. China officially confirmed on Tuesday that a mutual consensus has been reached to resolve the military standoff at the LAC.
With this confirmation, both armies will return to their previous positions in Eastern Ladakh. Prior to this, India's Foreign Secretary had also announced this on Monday.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian mentioned that both India and China have been consistently engaged in dialogues at both diplomatic and military levels regarding the border in recent times. A consensus on this issue has now been reached between both sides, and we will work on this with India.
Is this agreement a new beginning for India-China relations?
The longstanding tension observed in India-China relations saw an easing on Monday when an agreement was reached regarding the controversial patrolling points. According to the agreement, the Indian Army will be able to resume patrolling here.
Xi Jinping will participate in numerous meetings from BRICS Plus dialogues to other significant occasions. Experts believe bilateral talks are expected between the leaders of the two Asian powers during BRICS. The border dispute between India and China was the biggest challenge, but Monday’s decision seems to resolve this issue. This meeting could defrost relations.
Experts suggest that the relations between India and China have been strained since the 2020 Galwan clash. It will take time to repair these relations, but this agreement marks a new beginning for both countries.
Prime Minister Modi and Jinping last conversed during the BRICS meeting in South Africa in 2023. Previously, both attended the G-20 Summit in 2020, but a bilateral discussion did not take place. It should be noted that significant geopolitical changes have recently occurred, and China’s relations with Western countries are not as smooth, suggesting that China is seen on the back foot for this reason.
What happened in Galwan?
On the night of June 15-16, 2020, violent clashes occurred between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley at the LAC. The confrontation resulted in the martyrdom of 20 Indian soldiers, including a commander. However, China did not provide clear information on how many of its soldiers were lost. India claimed that Chinese soldiers were also casualties. Later, China stated that four of its soldiers were killed in Galwan. It was the first time in four decades that both countries faced off in such a manner.
