India and China begin to pull back on Himalayan border after new pact signals thaw in ties

India And China began withdrawing their forces to the disputed area Himalayas border as the two nuclear-armed powers began to end their four-year military standoff.

The major expected de-escalation of the borders marks the biggest thaw between them New Delhi And Beijing since the deadly clashes between their forces May 2020 in Galwan Valley.

Hundreds of troops from the Indian Armed Forces and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), facing off at two points on the border in the western Himalayas, are withdrawing from their positions, an Indian government source said on Friday.

“Under the recently agreed solution between India and China, their militaries are carrying out relevant work on the front line, with smooth progress so far,” Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said in Beijing on Friday.

A government official in New Delhi said troops on both sides of the border had begun to withdraw from the Depsang and Demchok areas, the last remaining frontline points where they stood face to face.

Images from mid-June 2020 show Chinese (foreground) and Indian soldiers (R, background) during an incident in which troops from both countries clashed at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley, Karakoram mountain range in the Himalayas (Getty images)

In New Delhi, a government official, speaking on condition of anonymity and aware of the details, said troops on both sides had begun withdrawing from the Depsang and Demchok areas, the last remaining points where they had stood face to face.

India and China have been embroiled in regional tensions since July 2020 military escalation in the Galwan Valley killed 20 Indian soldiers and four PLA soldiers. Friction between the two nuclear-armed neighbors remained at an all-time high as the clash turned into a prolonged standoff in the rugged mountainous region.

China and India have tightened their security arrangements and deployed tens of thousands of troops, supported by artillery, tanks and fighter jets.

An Indian Army armored vehicle at a military camp in eastern Ladakh (AFP via Getty Images)

But at one big breakthrough On Monday, India announced at the Brics Summit in Kazan that it has signed a pact with China to resume military patrols along the border in the Himalayan region, ending the standoff.

A day later, China’s Foreign Ministry also confirmed that Beijing “will work with India to properly implement these resolutions.”

The deal came as President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Kazan on the sidelines of the regional summit while meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Although neither China nor India have publicly announced the details of the new pact, Xi and Modi agreed on Wednesday to boost communication and cooperation in an effort to help end the conflict.

Both countries have previously ordered the withdrawal of troops from five other confrontation points, but the last such withdrawal took place more than two years ago.

An Indian fighter jet flies over a mountain range in Leh, the joint capital of the union territory of Ladakh, bordering China, in September 2020 (AFP via Getty Images)

The collisions had led to a major diplomatic and military clash between India and China. As a result of the clashes, India blocked direct flights with China, banned hundreds of Chinese mobile applications and added extra controls on Chinese investments, drying up major proposals from giants like BYD and Great Wall Motors.

Now, however, New Delhi is considering opening its airspace and speeding up visa approvals to complement the recent easing of tensions, Reuters reported, citing two Indian government sources.

They added that New Delhi will take baby steps and is not ready to reverse all steps against Beijing anytime soon.

India and China have gone to war over their land unmarked border in the Himalayan passes in 1962.