Days after the Galwan clash, the Chinese and Indian armies have now mutually pulled back in the Pangong Lake area. China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday completed the withdrawal of its troops from two more face-off sites in Gogra and Hot Springs in eastern Ladakh in line with a mutually agreed disengagement process with India even as the two countries are set to hold a fresh round of diplomatic talks on Friday to further de-escalate the situation.

According to reports, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will be heading the talks on Friday. Ajit Doval had categorically conveyed to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday about India’s position on the recent developments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) including in the Galwan Valley area.

Doval and Wang, the Special Representatives for border talks, held a telephonic conversation on Sunday following which armies of the two countries began disengagement of troops from friction points in eastern Ladakh.

Meanwhile, the 16th meeting of the India-China Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs, led by the Ministry of External Affairs, will also take place on Friday, July 10. This would be the second round of talks since the border stand-off.

The Indian delegation will be led by Naveen Srivastava, joint secretary (East Asia), Ministry of External Affairs, while the Chinese side will be led by the Director-General, Department of Boundary and Oceanic Affairs, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will also chair a crucial meeting on Friday at 12:30 pm with the three service chiefs and CDS Bipin Rawat to review ground zero report of the China border.