Indian, Chinese Troops Exchange Sweets on Diwali After Border Disengagement

New Delhi: As India celebrates Diwali across the country, similar celebrations were observed at several places along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), when Indian and Chinese troops exchanged sweets on Thursday,  Army sources said.

This comes a day after both countries completed the disengagement at two friction points at Demchok and Depsang Plains in eastern Ladakh, bringing a fresh thaw in the Sino-Indian ties.

"Sweets exchange between members of the troops of India and China took place at several border points along the LAC on the occasion of Diwali ," an Army source told PTI.

The exchange took place at five Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the LAC, the sources added.

The sources added that the exchange of sweets took place at five Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the LAC.

'Disengagement Process is Nearly Complete': Rajnath

This comes as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that the disengagement process in LAC (Line of Actual Control) in eastern Ladakh is 'nearly complete.'

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony of the Bob Khathing Museum in Assam 's Tezpur, Singh said, “At some areas along the LAC, discussions have been ongoing between India and China at both diplomatic and military levels to resolve conflicts. Following recent talks, there has been a broad consensus to restore the ground situation. This consensus has developed on the basis of equal and mutual security. The agreement includes rights related to patrolling and grazing in traditional areas. Based on this consensus, the disengagement process is nearly complete. We will strive to move beyond just disengagement, but for that, we will need to wait a little longer.”

Earlier on Wednesday, an Army source said that troops of both sides had completed the disengagement at the two friction points and patrolling would commence soon at these points.

The verification process after the disengagement was in progress and patrolling modalities were to be decided between ground commanders, the source said then.

"Talks will continue at the local commander level," the Army source added.

Both India and China confirmed that an agreement had been reached between the two nations regarding patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on October 21 said that both India and China confirmed that an agreement had been reached between the two nations regarding patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas.

(Inputs from PTI, ANI)