This follows consensus reached in the 16th round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting

Indian and Chinese troops in the area of Gogra-Hotsprings (PP-15) have begun to disengage in a coordinated and planned way, the two sides said in a joint statement released on Thursday.

This disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh is "according to the consensus reached in the 16th round of India China Corps Commander Level Meeting," the statement said. This "is conducive to the peace and tranquility in the border areas," the joint statement added.

"Building on the progress made at the last meeting on 11th March 2022, the two sides continued discussions for the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector in a constructive and forward looking manner," India and China had said after the 16th round of Corps Commander level talks on July 17 this year.

Matters had come to a head in June 2020 when a violent face-off took place between Indian and Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley. Twenty India soldiers lost their lives. A large number of Chinese solidiers also died.

Since then, India and China have been engaged in talks at the military as well as diplomatic levels for disengagement along friction points in the border areas of Eastern Ladakh. Attachments area