New Delhi: India hopes that China will work with it to ensure disengagement of troops in remaining areas of eastern Ladakh at the earliest, and asserted that de-escalation of tension alone will lead to restoration of peace and tranquility in border areas and provide conditions for progress of bilateral ties.

At a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the two sides continue to remain in touch through military and diplomatic channels on the issue.

He also referred to External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar’s comments that a prolongation of the situation is in neither side’s interest.

“We, therefore, hope that the Chinese side will work with us to ensure that disengagement in the remaining areas is completed at the earliest,” he added.

This, he said, would allow both sides to consider de-escalation of forces in eastern Ladakh as that alone will lead to the restoration of peace and tranquility and provide conditions for progress of the bilateral relationship.

Bagchi also said that there was a consensus that the two sides should now quickly resolve the remaining issues in the region.

“The disengagement in Pangong Lake area was a significant step forward and it has provided a good basis for resolution of other remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in western sector,” he said.

The MEA Spokesperson said the two sides had detailed exchange of views on the remaining issues both at the the senior commanders’ meeting and the discussions held under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs.