<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Indian and Chinese troops will complete the disengagement process in the Gogra-Hot Springs area (PP-15) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh by September 12.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ministry of external affairs on Friday issued a statement and said that all the temporary structures and allied infrastructure created by the two sides in Gogra-Hot Springs will be dismantled and mutually verified.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Both sides agreed to resolve remaining issues, restore peace and tranquility along LAC in India-China border areas," the ministry said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The agreement ensures that the LAC in this area will be strictly observed and respected by both sides, and that there will be no unilateral change in status quo, it said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"With the resolution of stand-off at PP-1S, both sides mutually agreed to take the talks forward and resolve the remaining issues along LAC and restore peace and tranquility in India-China border areas," the statement added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The development comes a day after the Indian and Chinese armies announced that they have begun to disengage from the Gogra-Hot Springs Patrolling Point 15, where the two sides have been locked in a standoff for over two years.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">India and China have been engaged in a standoff since April-May 2020 over the transgressions by the Chinese army in multiple areas including the Finger area, Galwan Valley, Hot Springs, and Kongrung Nala.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The situation worsened after violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in June 2020. As many as 20 Indian solidiers and an undisclosed number of Chinese troops were killed during the confrontation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The talks have led to disengagement from some areas including the North and South Banks of Pangong Tso and Galwan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">India has repeatedly stressed that resolution of the Ladakh confrontation is critical for improvement in the overall bilateral relationship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">China has relentlessly built new military infrastructure like troop bunkers and helipads, gun and missile positions, roads and bridges all along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) stretching from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. Source: The Times Of India</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>