“Patrolling, grazing activities will revert to situation as it obtained in 2020”: FS Misri on India-China agreement on border patrolling

Elaborating on the agreement reached between India and China on patrolling arrangements along Line of Actual Control (LAC), Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that in the “pending areas under discussion, patrolling and grazing activities will revert to the situation as it obtained in 2020”. He noted that agreement was focused on issues that had remained outstanding in the past couple of years.

While addressing a special media briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia, Misri stated that disengagement agreements reached previously were not reopened during the discussions between India and China.

When asked about what will entail under new agreement reached between India and China, Misri said, “With regard to the clarification that you sought in so far as what patrolling will entail under the agreement that was reached yesterday. Well, what it will entail is that in the pending areas under discussion, patrolling and indeed grazing activities, wherever applicable, will revert to the situation as it obtained in 2020. Incidentally, I should say that this is also what the External Affairs Minister was talking about yesterday when he was speaking at the NDTV World Summit, I think.”

“And as to the other part of your question, what the, as far as the disengagement agreements reached previously are concerned, those agreements were not reopened in these discussions. The agreement that was reached yesterday, very early yesterday morning, was focused on issues that had remained outstanding in the last couple of years. So that is what I would say at this point in time,” he added.

During the media briefing, Vikram Misri also announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will have a bilateral meeting on Wednesday on the sidelines of BRICS Summit. The meeting will take place two days after India and China reached agreement on patrolling arrangements.

“I can confirm that there will be a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit,” Misri stated.

On October 21, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that an agreement has been reached regarding patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border area.

While addressing a special briefing on PM Modi’s visit to Russia, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated, “This agreement is the outcome of extensive discussions over the past several weeks with Chinese interlocutors at both diplomatic and military levels.”

He noted that military commanders have been involved in negotiations aimed at addressing the tensions that have persisted since 2020.Misri explained that the agreement signifies a path toward disengagement and a potential resolution of the issues that arose during the significant confrontations in 2020.

Misri recalled the clashes between the People’s Liberation Army of China and the Indian Army, particularly highlighting the violent encounters in June 2020, which resulted in casualties on both sides. He added that this agreement marks a critical step in stabilising relations between India and China as both nations seek to manage their border disputes and prevent further military confrontations.

He said, “On several areas along the Line of Actual Control, we held discussions with Chinese interlocutors both at the diplomatic as well as military levels through meetings with military commanders at various levels. These discussions had in the past resulted in the resolution of standoffs at various locations There are some locations and areas where stand-offs had not been resolved.”

“Now, as a result of the discussions over the last several weeks, an agreement has been reached on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas. This is leading to disengagement and eventually a resolution of the issues that arose in these areas in 2020,” he said.

The agreement marks a crucial step in stabilising relations between India and China as both nations work to manage their border disputes and avoid further military confrontations.

In early May 2020, troops from China’s People’s Liberation Army and the Indian Army clashed at locations along the LAC, the disputed boundary between China and India. The tensions between the two neighbouring countries along the border escalated on June 15 face-off in Galwan Valley leading to casualties on both sides. India and China have held multiple rounds of military talks to resolve the matter.