China reluctant to withdraw completely, India firm, says report

China, it looks like, is a bit reluctant to completely withdraw from the Finger area and wants to maintain some presence there -- even though it is showing flexibility in the military-level talks with India.

Sources have told news agency ANI that the Chinese have agreed for complete withdrawal from other friction points including the Galwan valley, Hot Springs, and Gogra post area in Eastern Ladakh.

"In the talks, the Chinese showed reluctance for complete withdrawal from Finger area as they want to maintain some elements in areas near Finger 8," a source said.

In the areas near Finger Four, the Chinese troops have started dismantling their infrastructure from Blacktop and Greentop.

However, India has made it clear that it will not accept anything less than both sides going back to their permanent locations which existed in the April-May time frame. The meeting between Corps commander-level officers, including Lt Gen Harinder Singh, lasted for close to 15 hours. It started on July 14 at 11:30 am and ended at 2 am on July 15.

Both sides will now monitor further disengagement by troops and verify the development in the next few days around July 21-22.

In the area in and around the Patrolling Point 17, the Chinese have apprehensions that after its withdrawal India might use the strategic heights under it for gaining a tactical edge there.

The Chinese have built several hardened barracks and shelters which would be dismantled by them during the withdrawal in that area.

In Patrolling Point 14, the Chinese have gone back substantially from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and adjoining area in PP-15.

The NSA, during his interaction with the Chinese side, had made it clear that both sides would have to move back to their permanent locations for the matter to be sorted out completely and to the satisfaction of both sides.