China on Monday said there was “progress” towards disengagement and de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), with the first signs of pullback of its troops at Galwan Valley reported on Monday.

Chinese troops have “shifted” two kilometres from the site of the June 15 violent clashes at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, senior Indian officials told The Hindu.

In Beijing, the Chinese Foreign Ministry acknowledged there had been progress towards disengagement.

“On June 30, Chinese and Indian troops held Commander-level talks. The two sides continued to work to implement the consensus reached at the two previous rounds of talks [on June 6 and June 22],” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.

“There is progress made on front line troops taking effective measures to disengage and ease the tensions,” Mr. Zhao said, adding that it was hoped India would work with China and “through concrete actions implement the consensus, and continue close communication through military and diplomatic channels to jointly push for the de-escalation of the border region”.

As The Hindu reported, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had moved within India’s perception of the LAC at Galwan Valley after the June 15 incident when 20 soldiers were killed. China has also erected structures on India’s side of the LAC at Pangong Tso, and talks are on to resolve the situation there.