Chinese, Indian Troops Withdraw From Dangerous Pangong Lake Area

Troops of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force and the Indian Army are conducting simultaneous disengagements along the dangerous frontline bordering Pangong Tso (Pangong Lake) spanning eastern Ladakh in India and West Tibet.

Mountainous Ladakh was the site of a lethal nighttime brawl on June 15, 2020 that led to the deaths of 20 Indian Army troopers and at least 40 men of the PLAGF.

Both sides on Wednesday confirmed the start of troop and equipment withdrawals along the rugged and hilly Line of Actual Control (LAC) separating their military forces. The disengagements are taking place along both the north and south banks of Pangong Tso.

The Indian Army occupies territory on both north and south banks west of the LAC while the PLAGF controls land on both north and south banks to the east.

The Chinese troop pullback was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and confirmed by Ministry of National Defense spokesman Senior Colonel Wu Qian of the People’s Liberation Army on the microblogging website Sina Weibo.

“The Chinese and Indian front line troops at the southern and northern banks of the Pangong Tso Lake start synchronized and organized disengagement from February 10," said Wu.

"This move is in accordance with the consensus reached by both sides at the ninth round of China-India Corps Commander Level Meeting.”

Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin confirmed that frontline troops of the PLAGF and the Indian Army began to conduct simultaneous and planned disengagement in the Pangong Lake area on February 10.

"We hope the Indian side will work with China to meet each other halfway, strictly implement the consensus reached between the two sides and ensure the smooth implementation of the disengagement process.”

Indian Army sources also confirmed the pullback to media and said these movements are only the first in a long process of disengagement and de-escalation. They said the initial withdrawal restarted the stalled process of disengagement in the longest military standoff between India and China in decades.

Pangong Tso

The Indian Army said the pullback is the first phase of disengagement. It has begun withdrawing some tanks and armored units on the south bank, as well as thinning down troops on the north bank. Indian Army jawans, however, continue to remain in key positions overlooking China defenses.

The heavily militarized south bank has seen the Indian Army deploy tanks and armored vehicles in positions sometimes only a few hundred meters away from the Chinese. (11 Feb. 2021)