Context

India and China have agreed on a five-point course of action to disengage and reduce tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where their troops have been engaged in a four and a half month long stand-off.

About

• The five-point plan is to-
  • not allow differences to become disputes
  • disengaging quickly to ease tensions
  • abiding by the existing India-China border protocols and avoiding escalatory action
  • continuing the dialogue between Special Representatives National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Mr. Wang as well as the other mechanisms
  • working towards new confidence-building measures (CBMs

Background

• The Indian Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) have been locked in a standoff along the LAC in eastern Ladakh since early May with deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and almost an equal number on the Chinese side. 
• The genesis of the current stand-off was the aggression undertaken by the PLA in the form of incursions by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
• Given the scale, extent and timing, the operation was well planned at the highest level i.e. Central Military Commission (CMC) headed by President Xi Jinping as its Chairman.
• While the political intent was to give a strong message to Delhi to kowtow Beijing’s interest, the military aim was to make quick territorial gains in the Depsang, Galwan and Pangong Tso
• This marked the first step in the escalatory ladder, which almost went as planned for China. Indian Army’s swift mirror deployment took escalation to the next level.

How significant is the development?

• The process of dialogue between the nations is vital especially when the two are neighbours with strained relations.
• It reiterates the process of dialogue, disengagement, and easing of the situation. All this was comprehensively dealt with in the previous five agreements given below:
  • The 1993 ‘Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility Agreement’ forms the basis of all followup agreements.
  • 1996 ‘Confidence Building Measures’ denounced the use of force
  • 2005 ‘Standard Operating Procedures’ and patrolling modalities.
  • 2012 ‘Process of Consultation and Cooperation’
  • 2013 ‘Border Cooperation Agreement’, signed as a sequel to Depsang intrusion by PLA