The US State Department has welcomed a “reduction in tensions” along the India-China border following the recent disengagement of troops from both sides along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

During a press briefing on Tuesday, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that while Washington is closely monitoring the situation and has discussed it with Indian officials, the US did not play a role in the resolution. “We understand that both nations have taken initial steps to withdraw troops from friction points along the LAC, and we welcome any reduction in border tensions,” Miller stated.

He added, “We have consulted with our Indian partners and received updates on the matter, but we did not play a part in this resolution.”

Meanwhile, the disengagement process in Eastern Ladakh’s Depsang and Demchok areas is nearing completion, according to defense sources cited by ANI. The Indian and Chinese armies are reportedly verifying each other’s withdrawal of troops and dismantling of infrastructure in these areas.

India has been working to resolve this long-standing dispute and restore conditions to those prior to April 2020, before Chinese forces increased their presence in the region.

On Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that border troops from both sides are engaged in “relevant work” following a mutual agreement on border matters.

During a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that this process is “progressing smoothly.” When asked whether troop withdrawals from friction points had started, Lin stated, “In accordance with recent resolutions on border issues, Chinese and Indian frontier troops are engaged in relevant work, progressing smoothly at present.”

On October 21, India announced an agreement with China on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, marking an end to the four-year military standoff.

This announcement followed a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia, where both leaders welcomed the new patrolling arrangements along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement confirming the new agreement aimed at stabilizing border areas between India and China.

The standoff, which began in 2020 due to Chinese military actions along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, had put a strain on India-China relations over the last several years.

(Inputs from ANI)