Army Chief Calls for Return to Pre-2020 Position in India-China LAC Agreement

Army commander General Upendra Dwivedi stated Tuesday that India wants to revert to the pre-April 2020 status quo that prevailed in the LAC, one day after the Ministry of External Affairs claimed a significant breakthrough in the thaw between China and India. The Army commander said, “Once we return to the pre-2020 situation, we will begin the disengagement process.”

India and China will embark on a patrolling arrangement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Himalayas, resulting in disengagement and the settlement of tensions that started with skirmishes in May 2020, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri declared Monday. It is acknowledged that patrolling in the Depsang and Demchok regions is covered by the agreement.

Speaking to the media in early October, General Dwivedi observed that the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China is “stable” but “not normal”, adding that trust has been the “biggest” casualty. He also cautioned against Chinese “grey zone” warfare tactics.

Earlier this month, the Army chief also stated that the two sides had handled the “low-hanging fruits” and now needed to address challenging problems, adding that there was “positive signalling” from the political side and that implementation on the ground was up to the two nations’ military commanders.

The working mechanism for consultation and cooperation on India-China border problems had its last meeting in Beijing on August 29. The two parties then exchanged candid, constructive, and forward-looking perspectives on the situation along the LAC in order to reduce their differences and resolve unresolved concerns as soon as possible.

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