Assertion that Indian territory is up to Finger 4 in Pangong is categorically false: Defence Ministry
New Delhi, Feb 12: The assertion that the Indian territory is up to Finger 4 in Pangong Tso area is categorically false, the Ministry of Defence said.
India
has
not
conceded
any
territory
as
a
result
of
the
agreement
with
China,
the
ministry
also
said.
Further
it
said
that
even
the
Line
of
Actual
Control
as
per
the
Indian
perception
is
at
Finger
8
and
Finger
4.
India
has
persistently
maintained
the
right
to
patrol
up
to
Finger
8,
including
in
the
current
understanding
with
China,
the
Defence
Ministry
also
said.
The permanent posts of both sides at north bank of Pangong Tso are long-standing and well established, the Defence Ministry also noted.
India has not accepted China's 'unjustified claims' on Indian territory: Rajnath Singh
Following an agreement reached between India and China, the disengagement at Pangong Lake began at 9 am on Wednesday. This is thanks to several back channel talks held by the military commanders, External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval with their counterparts in Beijing. Officials tell OneIndia that this has been achieved after the back-channel talks by India's top national security planners and also the fact that India stood its ground.
Officials also said that once the disengagement is complete at Pangong Tso, talks would be initiated about the withdrawal from patrolling point 15 and 17 ie Gogra and Hot Springs respectively.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in the Rajya Sabha that the Armed Forces had responded to the challenges posed by the unilateral Chinese action and have shown valour and courage on both South and North bank of Pangong Tso.
The statement in the Upper House was made a day after China said that both the armies would disengage from the north and south banks of Pangong Tso.
The statement by the Defence Minister signals that the are clear signs of tensions being eased in Eastern Ladakh.
Ladakh standoff: US welcomes de-escalation efforts by India, China
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Many strategically important points were identified and our troops positioned themselves at those Hill Tops and at locations which were very important from our point of view. It is because of this great bravery of our Armed Forces in the face of harsh adverse climatic conditions that we maintained the edge. Our Armed Forces proved yet again that territorial integrity of our country remains safe in their hands and their grit and determination to safeguard our borders is unwavering, the Defence Minister said.