New Delhi: Marking a fresh thaw in tensions, Indian and Chinese troops exchanged sweets along Line of Actual Control (LAC) on Diwali on Thursday, news agency ANI reported.
The friendly gesture comes a day after both countries completed the disengagement at Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh.
Following China’s incursions over four and half years ago, India and China had been in a military standoff along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
It is reported that both parties carried out dismantling of temporary structures in Depsang plains and Demchok.
A verification process, physically as well as using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), was underway.
Troops on both sides are withdrawn to station at rear locations complying with the disengagement process.
Small parties of troops numbering around 10 to 15 soldiers will undertake patrolling in areas hitherto inaccessible since April 2020.
India announced last week that an agreement with China on patrolling Depsang Plains and Demchok had been made.
Four days later China confirmed the development saying ‘The Chinese and Indian frontier troops are engaged in relevant work, which is going smoothly at the moment’.
It is reported that the coordinated patrolling will begin in next two days with both sides exchanging prior information in order to avoid a face-off.
Now on Indian troops will be able to patrol beyond the 'bottleneck' area in Depsang plains.
Reports say that Chinese troops prevented Indian troops from accessing the patrolling points lying beyond.
The large number of troops that India deployed in Ladakh after stand-off in 2020 will continue there until both countries arrive at a wider consensus on border patrolling, according to the report.