Jaishankar hails India-China disengagement as 'welcome step'
What's the story
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has described the recent disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops at two major friction points in eastern Ladakh as a "welcome step."
The minister was speaking to members of the Indian community at the University of Queensland in Brisbane on Sunday.
The development comes four years after the 2020 border skirmishes that heightened tensions between both nations.
De-escalation details
Disengagement process and future prospects
The disengagement process included the withdrawal of troops, tents, and temporary structures from Demchok and Depsang.
Indian troops have since commenced verification patrolling in the areas, with patrolling at Demchok starting November 1.
Jaishankar had said that India-China relations had been "very, very disturbed" as a result of the massive deployment of Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since 2020.
Diplomatic optimism
Jaishankar expresses hope for improved India-China relations
Jaishankar was optimistic about the future of India-China relations, saying that disengagement opens up possibilities for further measures to enhance bilateral ties.
He also referred to a recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which has set expectations for more talks involving national security advisors and foreign ministers of both countries.
Border breakthrough
India announces LAC patrolling agreement with China
On October 21, India announced an agreement with China on patrolling along the LAC. This was a major breakthrough in ending the military standoff that had lasted for over four years.
The agreement was reached after weeks of negotiations and sought to address issues emerging from the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020.
Diplomatic efforts
Jaishankar discusses India's role in global conflicts
Apart from India-China ties, Jaishankar also spoke about global conflicts during his interaction with the Indian diaspora.
He spoke about India's push for diplomacy in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with PM Modi personally reaching out to leaders of both countries.
The minister also discussed India's efforts to prevent the spread of conflict in the Middle East, especially between Iran and Israel.