Top Indian-Chinese military officials to meet for final disengagement in Ladakh

Indian and Chinese military commanders are meeting along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh's Depsang and Demchok areas to finalize the disengagement efforts that began recently. 

This meeting is expected to confirm the removal of temporary structures and vehicles, paving the way for each side to resume separate patrolling operations. 

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar indicated on October 27 that patrolling along the LAC would soon return to its pre-standoff arrangements from April 2020.

In the last few days, substantial progress has been achieved in removing tents, structures, and vehicles in both regions. 

Verification using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) over Depsang confirmed that troops have withdrawn as planned, though adverse weather delayed verification in Demchok, which is now scheduled for today​. 

Starting October 31, separate patrolling will resume at designated points without joint operations; instead, patrols may occur on the same day with staggered timing to avoid direct encounters.

This meeting, alongside phased verification efforts, is a significant milestone in de-escalating tensions along this part of the LAC​.