India and China have pulled most of their frontline troops back from the disputed Himalayan border in Ladakh, marking progress toward ending a four-year standoff, India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said Thursday.

The disengagement follows a recent border pact aimed at reducing military tensions.

Although troops have withdrawn from several contested areas, disagreements remain over specific zones, and restoring pre-2020 conditions may take time, the Associated Press has reported.

The standoff, which began after a deadly 2020 clash, strained diplomatic and economic relations, leading India to restrict Chinese investments and projects.

Written by B.C. Begley