New Delhi: India and China on Monday ‘virtually’ completed the withdrawal of troops from Patrolling Point-15 (PP-15) in the Gogra-Hot Spring area of eastern Ladakh. India hopes this will pave the way for talks on troop withdrawal from the crucial Depsang Plain and Demchok areas.
Both sides will not only periodically withdraw troops from PP-15 near Kugrang Nalla, they will also demolish the temporary structures they have built there and create a ‘no-patrol buffer zone’. The process was expected to be completed by Monday. However, there has been a slight delay in the process. Because the final ‘physical verification’ of the process by both parties is pending. Although it was said that it will be completed by Tuesday, no report has been received in this regard.
This is the establishment of the fourth buffer zone in PP-15 after a 28-month military standoff with the Chinese Army in eastern Ladakh. Earlier, a buffer zone of 3 to 10 km has been established in the areas of PP-14 (Galwan Valley), PP-17A (Gogra) and Pangang So-Kilas range after the withdrawal of troops from both sides.
However, the biggest concern for India is that most of the buffer zones are in areas that India claims as its own territory. India will no longer patrol the area after the buffer zone has been agreed upon by both sides. There is also doubt as to how far China will comply.