In a significant development following the announcement of a new border patrolling agreement with China, India’s Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi has declared that India is actively working to ‘restore trust’ with its neighbor.
Speaking at an event titled ‘Decade of Transformation: Indian Army in Stride with the Future’ at the United Service Institution, Gen. Dwivedi highlighted the importance of restoring trust along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. He emphasized that this process would be gradual, stating, “That will happen once we are able to see each other and we are able to convince that we are not creeping into buffer zones that have been created…”
The Army Chief emphasized the role of ongoing patrolling activities in building mutual reassurance, saying, “Patrolling gives you that kind of advantage…and as we restore the trust, the other stages will also follow through soon.”
This statement comes on the heels of a bilateral agreement between India and China regarding patrolling arrangements along the LAC. The agreement, announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday, aims to return to pre-standoff patrolling practices. China also confirmed the agreement on Tuesday, indicating a potential easing of tensions.
The relationship between India and China has been strained since a violent clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, the most serious military conflict between the two nations in decades. The new agreement marks a significant step toward de-escalation and normalization.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that the agreement will allow Indian and Chinese soldiers to resume patrolling as they did before the border standoff began, confirming the completion of the disengagement process.
Gen. Dwivedi has outlined a phased approach to restoring normalcy, with the initial focus on returning to the status quo of April 2020. This would be followed by disengagement, de-escalation, and ultimately, a normalized management of the LAC.
“We want to go back to the status quo of April 2020. Thereafter, we will be looking at disengagement, de-escalation and normal management of LAC,” he explained. “This normal management of the LAC will not just stop there. There are phases in that as well.”
The agreement and the Army Chief’s statement offer a glimmer of hope for a more stable and cooperative relationship between India and China, but it remains to be seen how effectively both nations will implement the agreed-upon steps towards restoring trust and normalcy along their shared border.