'India hasn’t ceded any territory, Depsang issue will be taken up in next round' — Defence Ministry

India has not ceded any territory in the ongoing disengagement process in Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh and the remaining friction points including the strategic Depsang Plains will be taken up for discussion in the next round of military talks, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement Friday. The statement came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and some social media users accused the Narendra Modi government of ceding territory to China. The ministry said it has taken note of “some misinformed and misleading comments” being amplified in the media and on social media regarding the disengagement currently under way at Pangong Tso. The statement said that while the factual position was already communicated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in his statements to both Houses of Parliament Thursday, it was necessary to set the record straight and counter certain instances of wrongly understood information being amplified in media and social media. “The assertion that Indian territory is upto Finger 4 is categorically false. The territory of India is as depicted by the map of India and includes more than 43,000 sq km currently under illegal occupation of China since 1962,” it said. The statement added that even the Line of Actual Control (LAC), according to the Indian perception, is at Finger 8, not at Finger 4. “That is why India has persistently maintained the right to patrol upto Finger 8, including in the current understanding with China,” it said. ‘Prevented unilateral change’ Speaking about the deal under which both India and China will go back to the permanent posts, the ministry said permanent posts of both sides at the north bank of Pangong Tso are long-standing and well-established. “On the Indian side, it is Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3 and on the Chinese side, east of Finger 8. The current agreement provides for cessation of forward deployment by both sides and continued deployment at these permanent posts,” it said. The ministry underlined that India has not conceded any territory as a result of this agreement. “On the contrary, it has enforced observance and respect for LAC and prevented any unilateral change in the status quo,” it said. Other friction points On the other friction points, the ministry said Singh’s statement also made clear that there are outstanding problems to be addressed, including at Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang. “The outstanding issues are to be taken up within 48 hrs of the completion of the Pangong Tso disengagement,” the statement read. The effective safeguarding of India’s national interest and territory in the eastern Ladakh sector has taken place because the government has reposed full faith in the capabilities of the armed forces, it said. “Those who doubt the achievements made possible by the sacrifices of our military personnel are actually disrespecting them,” it said. Opposition charges In a press conference Friday morning, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had asked why the Indian troops have been asked to move back. He added, “Narendra Modi has hand over the ‘Bharat Mata ka tukda’ to China.” His comments were in response to the defence minister’s statement Thursday in which he said India and China have agreed to disengage from the Pangong Tso and go back to status quo ante after nearly nine months of stand-off.