India, China begin military disengagement at border

India and China's militaries have begun disengagement from the Gogra-Hotsprings border area in the high-altitude Himalayan region of Ladakh, a government statement said on Thursday.

India and China are locked in a faceoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)-a de facto border between China and India-in the disputed territory of Ladakh since May 2020.

According to the consensus reached in the 16th round of India-China commander-level meeting held in July, the Indian and Chinese troops in the area of Gogra-Hotsprings (PP-15) on Sept. 8 began to disengage in a coordinated and planned way, a joint statement issued by the Indian Defense Ministry said on Thursday evening.

The move is "conducive for peace and tranquility in the border areas," the statement added.

At least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in a clash on the border in June 2020.

Tensions at the border eased after several rounds of talks between the two sides.