The Indian Army has recently conducted a "physical verification" to confirm the withdrawal of Chinese troops from the Depsang Plains and Demchok areas, ThePrint reported.

This operation is part of ongoing efforts to monitor and ensure compliance with disengagement agreements following tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China.

This was to ensure that the Chinese army had dismantled the tents, defences, vehicles and other elements it was supposed to pull down.

The sources said the Indian Army will carry out their first patrol to patrolling points (PP) 10, 11, 12, 12A, 13 shortly. This would be the first time since January 2020 that the Indian Army will be patrolling these areas, they added.

While Indian soldiers were mostly stopped from the patrolling points in Depsang Plains in mid-2017 from an area called the Y-Junction, they managed to push their way through in January 2020.

A decision has been taken to limit the patrolling to twice a month and both sides will coordinate with each other.

This means that each side will inform the other before embarking on the scheduled patrolling. This, the sources said, was to ensure that no kind of confrontation takes place.

In addition to the verification of troop withdrawal, the Indian Army is considering implementing "escorted patrolling" in eastern Ladakh.

Even though Army sources have emphasised that the agreement was specific to only Depsang and Demchok, an understanding has also been reached for restart patrolling in areas where buffer zones were created—northern banks of Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Hot Springs, Gogra—where disengagement took place by September 2022.

This strategy aims to enhance security and maintain a visible presence in sensitive regions, particularly in light of previous border confrontations. The move reflects India's proactive approach to safeguarding its territorial integrity while managing relations with China amidst ongoing negotiations regarding troop disengagement.