De-escalation of forces in eastern Ladakh alone can lead to peace: MEA

NEW DELHI: The

ministry of external affairs

on Friday said that the de-escalation of forces in

eastern Ladakh

alone can lead to restoration of peace and tranquillity.

Asserting that to further bilateral ties with China,

MEA

spokesperson

Anurag Srivastava

said, "Troop disengagement in remaining areas must before considering de-escalation of forces in eastern Ladakh."

Last month, the Indian and Chinese troops reached an agreement on disengagement at the North and South banks of

Pangong

lake that mandated both sides to cease forward deployment of troops in a "phased, coordinated and verifiable" manner.

The disengagement process on both sides of Pangong lake has been completed.

In a statement giving details of the disengagement agreement, defence minister Rajnath Singh had said China will pull back its troops to east of Finger 8 areas in the northern bank of Pangong lake while the Indian personnel will be based at their permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3 in the region.

The pullback comes after a nine-month-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh.