PP-15 Disengagement is No Loss to China

Chinese side has pulled back northeast of PP-17A while the Indian troops have pulled back to PP-17. In between is the no-patrol zone which means that India troops can no more patrol up to PP-15.

- LT GENERAL P.C. KATOCH (RETD)

ALMOST TWO MONTHS AFTER the 16th round of Corps Commander-level India-China talks on the border standoff held on July 17, 2022, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a statement on September 8, 2022, that reads, "On September 8, 2022, according to the consensus reached in the 16th round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting, the Indian and Chinese troops in the area of Gogra-Hotsprings (PP-15) have begun to disengage in a coordinated and planned way, which is conducive to the peace and tranquility in the border areas."

Next day on September 9, China's state media Global Times tweeted: "Chinese and Indian troops in the area of Jianan Daban have begun to disengage in a coordinated and planned manner on Thursday (September 8), according to consensus reached in 16th Round of China-India Corps Commander Level Meeting: Chinese Defence Ministry."

The 16th round of Corps Commanderlevel talks over the India-China standoff in Eastern Ladakh were led by the Leh-based 14 Corps Commander Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta and China's South Xinjiang Military District Commander Major General Yang Yin and had indicated no breakthrough.