New Delhi: India and China have reached a mutual consensus to disengage in the Eastern Ladakh sector, the Indian Army said on Tuesday. The breakthrough came at the Corps Commander-level talks between the two sides at Moldo.
China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the two sides have agreed to take measures to ease tensions along a disputed stretch of their border, where a clash last week left 20 Indian soldiers dead.
According to sources, the modalities for disengagement from all friction areas in Eastern Ladakh were discussed and will be taken forward by both sides.
"The Corps Commander level talks between India and China on 22 June 2020 were held at Moldo in a cordial, positive and constructive atmosphere. There was a mutual consensus to disengage. Modalities for disengagement from all friction areas in Eastern Ladakh were discussed and will be taken forward by both sides," the Army said.
The meeting had started at around 11:30am yesterday at Moldo on the Chinese side of Line of Actual Control (LAC) opposite Chushul to defuse the tensions in the Eastern Ladakh sector due to Chinese military build-up, sources had said.
This was the second meeting between the two corps commanders. They had met on June 6 and had agreed to disengage at multiple locations. India had asked the Chinese side to return to pre-May 4 military positions along the LAC.
The Chinese side had not given any response to the specific Indian proposal.
India and China have been involved in talks to ease the ongoing border tensions since last month. However, last week as many as 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent face-off in the Galwan Valley. Indian intercepts have revealed that the Chinese side suffered 43 casualties. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian described recent media reports of 40 Chinese casualties in the conflict as "fake news".