M A I N   N E W S

India, China end stand-off at Chumar, to pull back troops
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

No construction along LAC The decision was taken at a Brigadier-level meeting held on Thursday at ‘Sppangur Gap’ in Chusul area of eastern Ladakh The deadlock was broken after both sides agreed to refrain from construction activity in the disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control Indian and Chinese troops will be restored at the positions they had held before September 10

New Delhi, September 25
Military commanders of India and China today decided to end the two-week stand-off at Chumar in south eastern Ladakh.

Troops will be withdrawn in phases over the next four days. They will be restored at the positions they held before September 10, sources said.

The deadlock was broken after both sides agreed to refrain from construction activity in the disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

A Brigadier-level flag meeting was held today at ‘Sppangur Gap’ in Chusul area of eastern Ladakh where the phased withdrawal was decided along with a timeline to do so, sources confirmed.

Sources say the Indian Army will remove its military-use concrete constructions in disputed areas along the LAC in Chumar, while the Chinese will halt construction on a road in the disputed areas or south of point 30-R.

“Status quo ante shall be restored,” a source said, adding that the decision was taken at the highest levels in Delhi and Beijing.

In today’s flag meeting, the military commanders discussed ground rules to withdraw the troops. The two sides worked out a formula that seemed workable for both. With events being closely watched in Washington, Moscow, Tokyo and Islamabad, the settlement had to look fair to either side lest they look to be ceding ground.

During the April-May 2013 stand-off at Depsang plains, China had agreed to withdraw after India agreed to remove some tin sheds it had erected at Chumar – which was an accepted formula.

Chinese Ambassador to India Le Yechung had yesterday said that the LAC was not demarcated and due to the dispute it was difficult to tell “who crossed the border”.

During the current stand-off, India numerically dominated all but one position at Chumar with both sides claiming the other violated the sanctity of the Line of Actual Control. Thereafter, both agreed upon 2005 protocol that barred any troop buildup or construction in disputed areas.

India wanted the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to withdraw from its positions into its own held areas of Chepzi (Zhipuqi-Quebusi) and China wanted India to withdraw.

On September 17, both sides had agreed to maintain a minimum distance along the Line of Actual Control.

Meanwhile, New Delhi is working on naming a special representative, as demanded by China during President Xi Jinping's visit to India last week, to hold talks on the border issue and demarcation of the Line of Actual Control.