According to Indian Army sources, India and China have finalized disengagement efforts in the contested Depsang and Demchok regions of Eastern Ladakh, following the timeline previously announced. The disengagement paves the way for resumption of patrolling in these areas, which will soon commence under guidelines set by commanders on the ground. In a positive gesture, troops from both sides are expected to exchange Diwali sweets on Thursday.

Verification is ongoing, and the details of patrolling protocols are being determined by the military leadership in the field, said Indian Army sources on Wednesday. Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong later confirmed the progress, mentioning that President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieved “many important understandings” during their recent meeting at the BRICS summit in Russia.

Ambassador Xu noted, “Our two leaders have reached significant understandings, and these will serve as guiding principles for the advancement of our bilateral relations. We hope that this consensus will foster smooth relations without disruptions from specific disagreements.” He emphasized the importance of managing natural differences as neighboring countries and suggested that the Xi-Modi meeting set a constructive example.

The disengagement announcement, made by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on October 21, included a patrolling agreement for the contested regions of Depsang and Demchok. The agreement required troops from both sides to return to their positions as they stood before the 2020 standoff began, with dismantling of structures and restoration of the land to its original state.

Images from the Depsang plains taken on October 11 and October 25 illustrate the progress: initially showing four vehicles and two tents in the area, the tents had been removed and vehicles were seen moving away in later photos. The area, near the ‘Y Junction,’ previously prevented Indian soldiers from reaching their designated patrolling points along India’s claimed Line of Actual Control. Additional images also documented the removal of semi-permanent Chinese structures from Demchok.

The standoff began in May 2020, culminating in a deadly clash in Galwan the following month, where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives, and Chinese casualties, though reported, were not confirmed. Subsequent troop buildups led to multiple rounds of military-level talks. By September 2022, forces from both countries withdrew from the Gogra-Hot Springs region in Ladakh, restoring positions to their pre-April 2020 status.

Following Foreign Secretary Misri’s recent announcement, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed the patrolling agreement at the NDTV World Summit, stating, “We have returned to the 2020 position, completing our disengagement with China. This understanding now allows us to resume patrolling as it was prior to 2020.”

Prime Minister Modi and President Xi also acknowledged the agreement during their October 23 meeting at the BRICS summit in Russia—their first bilateral meeting since 2019—stressing the importance of border peace and stability.