India-China to hold 10th round of talks on Feb 20; Disengagement in Pangong Tso completed

India and China on Saturday will hold the 10th round of Corps Commander-level talks at 10 am on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Moldo. The two sides will discuss disengagement from other friction points after disengagement from both Northern and Southern banks of Pangong Tso Lake, according to Army sources. Disengagement at Gogra, Hot Springs and Depsang plains will be discussed. 

China unveils details of casualties

The announcement comes on a day when China admitted for the first time that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) lost four of its soldiers in the Galwan Valley clash with India last year near the LAC. According to a report by state-controlled People's Daily, "Four Chinese soldiers, who were sacrificed in last June's border conflict, were posthumously awarded honorary titles and first-class merit citations, Central Military Commission announced Friday. A colonel, who led them and seriously injured, was conferred with an honorary title."

As per a report in CCP's mouthpiece Global Times, "The Central Military Commission awarded Qi Fabao, the regimental commander from the PLA Xinjiang Military Command, the title of "Hero regimental commander for defending the border," Chen Hongjun with "Hero to defend the border," and awarded the first-class merit to Chen Xiangrong, Xiao Siyuan and Wang Zhuoran."

Army releases visuals & photos of disengagement

Earlier this week, the Indian Army released short videos and photographs showing thinning down of troops and dismantling of bunkers, camps and other facilities by the Chinese military in the areas around the Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh in line with the agreed disengagement process between the two sides.

READ | Top BJP netas set to campaign for Kerala polls; HM Shah, Yogi, Nirmala to address rallies

READ | China admits casualties in Galwan Valley clash; details of 4 PLA soldiers killed disclosed

The visuals also showed the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) using a bulldozer to flatten some structures, and vehicles with troops and equipment preparing to retreat to rear bases as part of the infantry disengagement. After nine months of border standoff in eastern Ladakh, the two armies reached an agreement on disengagement in the North and South banks of Pangong lake that mandates both sides to cease forward deployment of troops in a "phased, coordinated and verifiable" manner.

Last year, the Chinese military built several bunkers and other structures in the areas between Finger 4 and 8 and had blocked all Indian patrols beyond Finger 4, triggering a strong reaction from the Indian Army. In the nine rounds of military talks, India was specifically insisting on the withdrawal of the Chinese troops from Finger 4 to Finger 8 on the North bank of Pangong Lake. The mountain spurs in the area are referred to as Fingers.

READ | WhatsApp to soon display banner for more info on controversial privacy policy update

READ | Indian-origin scientist Dr Swati Mohan leads NASA's op Perseverance Rover landing on Mars

(With agency inputs)