Indian and Chinese troops on Thursday exchanged sweets at several border points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the occasion of Diwali.
The customary exchange of sweets comes a day after the Indian Army and Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) completed the disengagement process at Depsang and Demchok areas of eastern Ladakh.
"Sweets exchange between members of the troops of India and China took place at several border points along the LAC on the occasion of Diwali," an Army source told PTI. The exchange took place at five Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the LAC, the sources added.
The disengagement marks a thaw in LAC tensions and will pave the way for the troops to restart border patrolling.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on October 21 had said in New Delhi that the agreement between India and China was finalised following negotiations over the past several weeks and that it would lead to a resolution of the issues that arose in 2020.
On October 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping endorsed the agreement on patrolling and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan in Russia.
"Welcoming the recent agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 in the India-China border areas, Prime Minister Modi underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquility," an official statement post their meeting read.
The two leaders affirmed that stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China -- as two neighbors and the two largest nations on earth -- will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity. It will also contribute to a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world.
(With inputs from agencies)
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