China, India Pullback In A Contested Area In Ladakh Complete: Sources

The two-km mutual withdrawal of Indian and Chinese troops at Ladakh -- on since Sunday after the Special Representative level talks -- is complete in some areas, sources said. The withdrawal at Patrol Point 15 in Hot Springs is now complete. The 2-km mutual withdrawal at Patrol Point 17A (Gogra) will happen tomorrow or the day after, sources said.

Some movement by the Chinese near the Pangong lake -- the Finger 4 Area -- is happening, sources said. Vehicles and tents have been removed but the ridge line remains occupied by the Chinese troops, sources said.

Yesterday, the withdrawal at the Galwan river valley, where Indian and Chinese troops clashed with fatal results-- the first in decades -- appeared complete. Satellite images from the bend of the Galwan river as it crosses the Line of Actual Control and flows into Indian territory, showed the area cleared of Chinese troops and structures.

Sources said the Chinese are now firmly on their side of the Line of Actual Control -- the de-facto border between India and China.

The Chinese and Indian troops had started the withdrawal at four spots in Ladakh -- Galwan Valley, Hot Springs, Gogra and the Fingers region of Pangong - leaving a buffer zone in between after Sunday's talks.

China and India had both agreed on the need for urgent disengagement and de-escalation on the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, where a face-off between the troops of the two nations have been on since April. In May, the troops had been involved in a brawl near Pangong Lake.

It was followed by a clash at Galwan Valley in June, during which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action. Army sources said they think the Chinese side suffered 45 casualties, which included a colonel of the People's Liberation Army.

Government sources told NDTV that they are "cautiously hopeful" of a Chinese pull-back from all the areas by the middle of July, by which time military leaders are expected to hold another round of high-level talks.