India - China border disengagement : 10 key points of agreement.

1. Agreement for disengagement is for "North and South Banks" of the Pangong Lake.  The north bank has eight fingers or geographical formations with mountain spurs utting into the lake and the main point of contention for New Delhi.

2. Disengagement will be "mutual and reciprocal".

3. The implementation of this agreement was started on Wednesday in the north and south banks of Pangong Lake. The tanks have started to move and the next will be the movement of soldiers.

4. Both sides will cease their "forward deployments" in the area. The process will take place in a phased, coordinated and verified manner".

5. The most crucial point and one that forms core of the development is - the Chinese side will keep its troop presence in the north bank area, to the east of Finger 8. India, reciprocally, will base its troops at the permanent base - Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3.

6. A similar action should be taken in the south bank area by both sides. No details are known yet on how this will happen, in terms of movements of troops.

7. Any structure that had been built by both sides since Apr 2020 in both north and south bank area will be removed and the landforms will be restored. Apr 2020 is the month that saw China amassing its troops and trying to unilaterally change the situation.

8. Both sides have agreed on a "temporary moratorium on military activities" by both sides in the north bank of the lake. This includes a moratorium on patrolling to the traditional areas. Patrolling will be resumed only after both sides reach an agreement during further rounds of diplomatic and military talks.

9. Once "complete disengagement has happened at Pangong Lake, Senior Commanders of both sides will meet within 48 hours. So far nine rounds of Senior Commanders meet or military talks have taken place, the last one being in January of this year.

New Delhi's message to China by the Defence Minister from Parliament is, "By now, the Chinese side is also fully aware of our resolve. It is therefore our expectation that the Chinese side will work us in full sincerity to resolve the remaining issues". He highlighted, "I want to assure this House that in these talks we have not conceded anything".

My queries.

(a) Have we conceded the forwarded positions in the eastern Ladakh, that we'd achieved, after successfully pushing back the Chinese, a few months back?

(b) Why didn't we begin this disengagement process from Arunachal Pradesh?

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6 after a massive sleep, the chores and finally left at about a quarter to 10 though I'd earlier planned for the get away by a quarter past 9. Padmakumar showed us the way to the main road and he, then, went across to the NSS office. Reached the canteen by a quarter past 10, got a nice parking slot at the gate and while Lekha went into the grocery section, I'd got our smart cards renewed - almost six months after! And wasn't Anand glad to see us?

We finished our work, picked up the afternoon snack and began our return trip by a quarter past 12. The traffic was comparatively sparse and we reached Guruvayur by 3. Went to the clock shop to pick up three pieces - got two, placed order for the third and reached The Quarterdeck by a quarter to 4. Opened up the house in stages and had siesta in between.