Update | India withdraws troops from disputed border zone, China says
Beijing, New Delhi issue differing reports of how ‘disengagement’ was agreed ahead of BRICS meeting this weekend
China said India had pulled its troops from the Chinese side of a disputed Himalayan border area on Monday afternoon, after a months-long stand-off.
Earlier in the day, India’s foreign ministry said it had agreed with China to an “expeditious disengagement” of troops from the Doklam plateau, an area close to the borders of China, India and Bhutan.
The announcements come ahead of a meeting of BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – in China this weekend. While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend, neither New Delhi nor Beijing has confirmed he will do so.
But each side differs on the details of the “disengagement”. Beijing said Indian troops had pulled back by early afternoon. Indian media reports said the “disengagement” would not be completed on Monday.
“In recent weeks, India and China have maintained diplomatic communication in respect of the incident at Doklam,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said.
“On this basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is ongoing.”
The Chinese foreign ministry said Indian military personnel had pulled out of the Chinese side by 2.30pm on Monday.