The disengagement of Indian and Chinese forces near the Line of Actual Control is “almost over”, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today. The minister said that while India wants to go “beyond disengagement”, this would “take time”.

“India and China have been holding talks at both diplomatic and military levels to resolve the differences in some areas along the LAC. As a result of the talks, a broad consensus was developed on the basis of equal and mutual security. The consensus includes the rights of patrolling and grazing in traditional areas. Based on this consensus, the process of disengagement is almost complete. Our efforts will be to take the matter beyond disengagement; but for that, we will have to wait a little longer,” he said.

The Defence Minister today dedicated to the nation a statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, whose birth anniversary is being celebrated today, at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. He also opened the Major Ralengnao ‘Bob’ Khathing ‘Museum of Valour’. Mr Singh inaugurated these from the Army headquarters in Assam’s Tezpur after he could not travel to Tawang due to bad weather.

Mr Singh paid tributes to Sardar Patel for his key role in unifying over 560 princely states after India’s Independence in 1947. “This statue ‘Desh Ka Vallabh’ will inspire people reminding them of the strength in unity and the unwavering spirit required to build a nation as diverse as ours,” he said.

He also paid respects to Major Bob Khathing for his contribution to the Northeast region and national security. “Major Khathing not only led the peaceful integration of Tawang into India but also established essential military and security frameworks, including the Sashastra Seema Bal, Nagaland Armed Police, and the Naga Regiment. The ‘Museum of Valour’ now stands as a tribute to his bravery and foresight, inspiring generations to come,” he said.

In a step towards easing the tension at the LAC following the violent clashes in Galwan Valley in 2020, India and China last week agreed on a patrolling agreement under which both sides will fall back to their pre-April 2020 positions. Delhi and Beijing, however, will continue to have surveillance options in Depsang and Demchok, and will inform the other side before stepping out on patrol “to avoid any miscommunication”.

The agreement was announced hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Russia visit for the BRICS summit where he spoke to China President Xi Jinping. Mr Modi told the Chinese leader, “It should be our priority to ensure there is peace and stability along our border”, and stressed the need for “mutual trust, mutual respect”.