How India and China arrived at a patrolling agreement along the LAC

In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, India and China have reached an agreement to resume patrolling at key friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The deal comes after years of military standoffs since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, which had left both sides at a stalemate.
The agreement, seen as a major step forward in the disengagement process, hints at progress in critical areas of Depsang Plains and Demchok, where tensions have remained high.
The road to this agreement was not an easy one. According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, it was the result of weeks of intense diplomatic and military negotiations. Misri, while addressing the media, outlined how diplomatic efforts, initiated shortly after the Galwan clash, eventually led to this crucial breakthrough.
“Both sides have been in close contact over the last several weeks, working through multiple channels to address long-standing issues,” Misri said.
The latest development comes after multiple rounds of military talks that have already led to disengagement at several other flashpoints along the LAC, such as Pangong Tso, Gogra, and Hot Springs.
According to defence sources, several meetings have taken place, involving both the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Army. These discussions were focused on ensuring smooth patrolling in areas where disengagement has already occurred, but Depsang and Demchok presented unique challenges due to their strategic importance and heightened tensions. The process of resuming patrols at these points is ongoing, with more than five patrol points being reactivated under scrutiny.
The journey toward this agreement can be traced back to the aftermath of the 2020 Galwan clash. Several rounds of disengagement have occurred since then:
Depsang and Demchok remained unresolved during these earlier phases, with negotiations stalling repeatedly. The current breakthrough in these regions indicates that both sides are now ready to tackle the most difficult areas of dispute.
Though the specific terms of the agreement are yet to be made public, it is expected that further clarity will emerge from a possible bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.
According to defense insiders, the final modalities of the disengagement, including whether patrolling will follow pre-2020 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or a new protocol, will likely be decided during these talks.
As per sources, the understanding reached so far suggests that Chinese troops will withdraw from key areas in Depsang, allowing Indian patrols to access regions previously blocked. The agreement marks a shift in the status quo, particularly regarding the “Y junction” in the Depsang Plains, a contentious point since 2020, sources added.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hailed the agreement as a major diplomatic success. He credited the deal to patient negotiations over the last three years, which began after his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Moscow in September 2020. “This agreement on patrolling is a product of very patient and persevering diplomacy. It is a positive development that will restore the peace and tranquillity that existed before 2020,” Jaishankar said.
He also noted that the agreement will allow India to resume patrolling in areas along the LAC that had been closed off due to the standoff. Jaishankar emphasised that this outcome would help normalise the situation along the border.
“There are areas, for various reasons after 2020, where they had blocked us, and we blocked them. What has happened is that we reached an understanding which will allow the patrolling… Depsang is not the only place. There are other places too. The understanding, to my knowledge, is that we will be able to do the patrolling which we were doing in 2020,” Jaishankar said.
The agreement between India and China to resume patrolling in friction areas along the LAC marks a significant step toward de-escalating tensions. The negotiations that led to this deal reflect sustained diplomatic and military efforts on both sides, particularly in regions like Depsang and Demchok, which had long resisted resolution.
The disengagement process, while still ongoing, is expected to stabilise the situation and prevent any further confrontations between the two nations.