By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 5th June 20
As the lieutenant general commanding the Indian Army corps in Ladakh prepares for a crucial meeting with a counterpart in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), there is little from the Chinese side to encourage hopes of de-escalation.
The PLA has not yet formally agreed to attend the military-to-military meeting that India is seeking to organise at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Chushul, Ladakh to work out a truce that would see the withdrawal of thousands of PLA soldiers that have occupied large chunks of Indian territory in the Pangong Lake north bank and the Galwan River valley over the preceding month.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Tuesday that a meeting was possible on Saturday. However, after the Indian army cancelled several meetings before the crisis, citing Covid-19 fears, the Chinese have been paying back in the same coin.
While discussing the agenda for the meeting, Indian government sources say the Chinese side has flatly refused to discuss the incursion into the Galwan River Valley, where the PLA has entered 3-5 kilometres into Indian territory and established defences that overlook and dominate India’s vital Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DSDBO) road that links central and north Ladakh.
The PLA’s occupation of large sections of the Galwan Valley in the first week of May is a troubling dimension of the current standoff. The Galwan Valley has been one of the peaceful sectors along the LAC, where both sides have traditionally agreed on the border alignment. By occupying this area, China is departing from settled practice and creating a new normal.
While the PLA seems more agreeable to discussing the Pangong Lake sector, it has refused to withdraw forces from their new positions on the north bank of the lake. Here, several thousand Chinese troops now occupy the area between India’s claim line at Finger 8 and the new front line at Finger 4. A Chinese flag now flutters at the Green Top area.
This has effectively shifted the LAC three-to-five kilometres to the west. Earlier, Indian border patrols used to visit Finger 8 to assert their claim up to that point. Now, large numbers of PLA troops who have occupied Finger 4 are preventing Indian patrols from going up to their traditional patrolling point at Finger 8.
Nor is there any evident willingness on the PLA side to withdraw from their occupation of what used to be the Indian army’s Patrolling Point 14 and 15, near the Galwan Nala. Here, over the last month, the PLA has built a motorable road running almost three kilometres on the Indian side of the LAC.
Nor has there been any PLA withdrawal from the Naku La area, in Sikkim. However, since this is a settled international border, the army believes Chinese withdrawal in that sector is inevitable.
Colonal please simply say that China is raping India and Modi and Rajnat is silently observing Indian army is doing nothing they even don't saying anything.even RSS is silent.
ReplyDeleteRSS ?
DeleteFakir,
Fakira,
Fakiri !
To expect the Chinese to withdraw now is to expect an ice cube not to melt in hell.
ReplyDeleteThe Indian side must look at it from the Chinese perceptive
ReplyDeleteIndia has changed the facts on the ground.
If the `Chinese will not withdraw, there is nothing that India can do which will give it an overall advantage.
It must be remembered India has threatened Pakistan’s water supply by blocking waters of the Indus
You will also recall Amit Shahs statement of India getting back Akshai Chin
So what can India do, Build infrastructure further militarise the area?
However It must be remembered China is in a win win situation
If relations with `India improve, the Indian improved the Manali road will be used to carry Tibetan factory goods to sell to the huge consumer market in India, and contribute towards the Industrialisation and development of Tibet.
If there is war Chinese tanks will roll down these roads to Manali.
In any case the road to Leh From India via Kargil is cut off in winter, the tibet roads are open all year round
India’s GDP is not going to grow much, with a stalled economy the economic gap with China will grow.
India will become a poor country with a huge defence budget. There is a precedent for that, North Korea.
Our Indian media is already North Korean, the poverty is even more acute than North Korea.
We have nuclear weapons like North Korea while people starve and like them a huge army
We also like North Korea have a dear leader Modi
What you said is total BS.
Deleteas always it should be win win for all. as in dokhlam china will continue to remain where it wishes to be; likewise in this instance too, china may not vacate tactically advantageous high ground that its military has astutely manoeuvred onto. whereas the union of india would have been disadvantaged, our military could finally obtain control over ITBP given this armed border police force's botch up. and those among our allies, friends, whom we regard as strategic partners will make it easier, lifting any restrictions they may have previously cited and release for sale more and better weapons systems, materiel so we can raise a strike corps in ladakh. allowing 14 corps to concentrate on holding, defence; the new 18 corps can strike. this should cause china to be more prudent. and most important, finally our diplomatic corps will be able to present to our people that most cherished of our goals, the seat at the security council as a permanent member. for after all at a time such as the present when all of anglosphere and much of the rest of the western world is coming together to curb china what better move to checkmate than for them to ensure india its rightful place on the council, as a permanent member. this current tactical hiccup can indeed be turned to india's long term strategic advantage.
ReplyDeleteThe author does sometimes have good information.unfortunately there is too much political bias. Looking at the comments i guess the audience too belongs to a particular political thought.
ReplyDeleteAll the Three countries have illegally occupied our land.
ReplyDelete