India and China have completed the withdrawal of their troops from two key face-off points along their disputed Himalayan frontier, an Indian defense official said Wednesday. The troop disengagement follows a recent agreement between the nuclear-armed neighbors to de-escalate tensions on the rugged border in Ladakh, ending a four-year military standoff.
The phased pullback began last week and has now concluded, with verification of the process underway, the official told Reuters. As part of a goodwill gesture, Indian and Chinese soldiers are expected to exchange sweets at the border on Thursday, and joint patrols will resume once field commanders finalize logistics.
There was no immediate response from Beijing regarding the troop withdrawal.
The 4,000-kilometer (2,500-mile) largely undemarcated border along the Himalayas has been a point of contention for decades, sparking a brief war in 1962 and numerous standoffs. Tensions escalated sharply four years ago, resulting in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops during border clashes. Following the incident, both nations refrained from patrolling several points in Ladakh to prevent further conflict, while deploying additional troops and equipment to the high-altitude region.
The recent disengagement marks the first since the two sides completed a similar pullback over two years ago at other standoff points along the border.
The latest agreement was reached just days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held formal talks for the first time in five years during a BRICS summit in Russia. Both leaders expressed a commitment to improved communication and conflict resolution, setting a positive tone for future relations.
Indian officials, however, remain cautious about the pace of any deeper engagement, citing the trust deficit from recent years. While the easing of tensions could open doors for increased economic cooperation, New Delhi has emphasized a careful approach as relations with Beijing advance.
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