External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated on Sunday that both India and China will require time to complete the disengagement process along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). He mentioned that the withdrawal of troops at Depsang and Demchok is the initial step toward reducing hostilities, with the next phase focused on de-escalating the situation at the border. However, he emphasized that this will only occur once India is confident that China is also following suit.

Earlier this month, India and China reached a significant agreement regarding patrolling and disengagement in Depsang and Demchok, marking a crucial development in the four-year standoff in eastern Ladakh. Jaishankar expressed hope that the LAC would revert to its 2020 status, stating, "It is clear that implementing this will take time. This disengagement and patrolling issue indicates our armies were in close proximity, and now they have returned to their bases. We hope the status of 2020 is restored," he told news agency PTI.

He further noted, "After de-escalation, we will discuss how to manage the borders."

Relations between India and China deteriorated in June 2020 when 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives while responding to a Chinese attack in Ladakh's Galwan Valley, with an unspecified number of Chinese troops also reported dead during the violent clashes. The disengagement process commenced on October 23, following the recent breakthrough to address the standoff in Depsang and Demchok, the last major flashpoints in Ladakh.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. During this bilateral meeting, the first since 2019, PM Modi emphasized that maintaining peace along the border should be a priority for both nations.