India, China Agree to Pull Back Troops

India and China began to pull back troops and battle tanks on Thursday from a disputed lake area high in the western Himalayas. The move came after months of tensions on the disputed border.

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh told parliament the two sides had reached an agreement to withdraw from Pangong Tso, a high-mountain, glacial lake, following a series of talks.

“Our sustained talks with China have led to agreement on disengagement on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake,” Singh said.

China’s defense ministry confirmed that troops from the two countries were pulling back from the lake area.

The dispute began last April. India said Chinese troops had entered deep into its side of the border, called the Line of Actual Control, in the western Himalayas. China said its troops were operating in its own area and accused Indian border guards of making aggressive actions.