Indian Army to begin patrolling up to PP14 in Galwan after complete disengagement

With India and China pulling back its troops in Galwan, the Indian Army will resume patrolling up to Galwan's Patrol Point 14, the site of the bloody clash, once all disengagement phases are completed. Sources have told India Today TV that patrolling up to PP14 in Galwan will restart after verification on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Joint verification of re-location camps will be done to see that “landform is restored” and to “build trust”, the sources added. Till now, India was patrolling up to patrolling point 14. The present restriction, however, was imposed after India and China agreed to avoid friction and violent incidents. To avoid any escalation, both sides agreed to create a minimum buffer zone of 3 km in the area around Galwan river. In first signs of disengagement, the Chinese troops on Monday removed tents and pulled back by around a kilometre from the area around PP14 in the Galwan Valley. Sources said the disengagement is taking place as per a decision arrived at during the military talks on June 30 that both sides will create a minimum buffer zone of 3 km in the area around Galwan river, and Indian troops also moved accordingly. Government sources said India is strictly monitoring whether China was withdrawing its troops from the friction points. The Indian and Chinese armies have been locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last eight weeks. The tension escalated manifold after the killing of 20 Indian soldiers in Galwan Valley. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details. Both sides have held several rounds of diplomatic and military talks in the last few weeks to ease tension in the region. On June 30, the Indian and Chinese armies held the third round of Lt General-level talks during which both sides agreed on an "expeditious, phased and step wise" de-escalation as a "priority" to end the standoff.