After a spell of uneasy calm for over two months in eastern Ladakh, tensions between India and China has spiked once again on the border following a “provocative movement” by Chinese troops on the southern bank of Pangong Tso.
An official claimed that in September and October, right before the winters, Chinese military planners might think of an offensive, like it did during the 1962 war.
The Indian Army has not revealed the tally of injured in the incident that happened on the intervening night of August 29-30.
“PLA troops violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing standoff in eastern Ladakh and carried out ‘provocative military movements’ to change the status quo,” Indian Army said in an statement issued on Monday morning.
The statement added that Indian troops “pre-empted this PLA activity on the southern bank of Pangong Tso Lake, undertook measures to strengthen our positions and thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground”.
It also added that the Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquillity through dialogue, but is also equally determined to protect its territorial integrity.
However, a Brigade Commander level Flag Meeting is in progress at Chushul to resolve the issues. The south of Pangong Tso comes under the Chushul sector, where Chinese have built massive infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
This is the first serious incident since the June 15 clash in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
On May 5, the first scuffle between Chinese and Indian troops was reported in the Pangong Tso area. Five rounds of three star General Level talks, two Special Representatives (Ajit Doval and Wang Yi) meetings and multiple rounds of local military commander rank dialogue failed to bring in status quo ante at the India-China border in eastern Ladakh.
Due to the adamant and aggressive behaviour of Chinese troops on the border, Indian military is not sending its soldiers to participate in multilateral wargames in SCO-plus in Russia.
Both sides have prepared for the long haul, with the Indian Army deploying additional troops during the winters.
Indian military planners believe that things seem to be out of their hands. “Now only a political intervention can resolve the issue. Otherwise, military side has done enough with repeated marathon discussions,” said a defence official based in South Block, which houses the ministry of defence. Last Sunday’s talk between Major Generals of both sides on Depsang Plains did not make any headway.
“They (China) are not going to give up. First move always matter in any war. Though we picked up the movement in early April, it appears that we deliberately kept it under the wrap to avoid any panic alarm in the establishment,” said another officer, privy to the development.
After two weeks of hectic diplomatic negotiations, the Doklam issue was resolved after 73 days as both sides agreed to pull back from the tri-junction (India-China-Bhutan).
Pangong Tso continues to be a major friction point between the two sides as Chinese military have come down to Finger 4 ridge area. Between Finger 5 and Finger 6, Chinese PLA has brought over a dozen heavy military boats along with creating pre-fabricated shelters. It is learnt that the Chinese military continued to build up infrastructure, even as talks were happening between two sides to disengage.
Pangong Tso is divided into eight Fingers. Slopes of the barren mountains that jut forward into the lake are referred to as Fingers in military parlance. Traditionally, India claims that its territory goes until the easternmost Finger (number 8). But, gradually, both sides have agreed to an understanding that while India will control from Fingers 1 to 4, Chinese military will consider 5-8. But both sides only used to patrol in these areas. While India has its last overlooking observation post close to Finger 3, China has it on Finger 8.
“Between Finger 4 and Finger 8, Chinese have encroached into entire eight kilometre-long stretch on Pangong Tso,” an officer said.
Out of the total of 134km, the western portion of nearly 45 km of the Pangong lake is under Indian control, while the rest is under China’s control. Pangong is an ‘L’ shape river and its breadth is nearly 5 km. At the northern end of Pangong lake is Lukung and southern end is Chushul on Indian side.
However, with the setting up of pre-fabricated shelters, Chinese military has shown its intension to stay there even during the winter.
“It is going to be a nightmare, if the Chinese decides to launch an offensive after our passes are closed. China will have an advantage. Chang la pass gives access to Pangong Tso, which closes by end of September,” said an officer, who served in the region. He added that China has stationed over a dozen heavy boats in Pangong, which has never happened earlier.
With official sources claiming that Chinese PLA might be waiting for an opportunity to launch an offensive, the Indian forces will be preparing to take on the aggression on the border with additional infrastructure and deployment of massive troops. The IAF has also moved its sizeable number of frontline jets and attack helicopters to counter any offensive by Chinese.
“Pangong freezes in winter and becomes hard rock. You have got rock hard ice sheet, which will not be an obstacle for the Chinese. I won’t be surprised if the PLA takes control over entire Pangong in winters with more than 40,000 troops in depth areas to support forward movement. It will be very difficult for us to pull them back from Pangong Tso,” the officer further said.
Similarly, on Gogra, which is also the Patrolling Point 17A, Chinese and Indian military is on eyeball to eyeball situation. Disengagement happened in Galwan and Hot Spring area, and buffer zone was also created to avoid a June 15 Galwan-like clash in the future. But, in the Depsang Plains, the Chinese have amassed huge number of troops along with artillery in the region.
China denies incursion across LAC, says India violated Chinese sovereignty in Galwan valley
China's spokesperson of the Western Theater Command, Colonel Zhang Shuili, has blamed India for "violating" China's sovereignty, claiming that Indian troops crossed over the LAC on Monday.
Issuing a statement on the situation along the border as on August 31, Colonel Zhang said that Indian forces had crossed border points in the Galwan Valley region and attacked Chinese soldiers.
“Indian troops intruded in the China-controlled Galwan Valley on August 31, which broke the promises and consensus reached by two sides after rounds of dialogue,” Colonel Zhang said as reported by CGTN.
“Indian troops are responsible for the latest escalation,” Zhang said, adding that China demands that India “immediately withdraws troops that had illegally intruded the Chinese border, and urge the Indian side to stop all provocative actions and strictly control frontline troops to avoid further escalation.”
“The Chinese army is taking all necessary measures to cope with the situation and it will firmly defend China's sovereignty and territory,” Zhang said.
Earlier, China's Foreign Minister denied any incursion on the part of China, claiming that the country’s troops “have always strictly observed” the LAC and “have never crossed the line”.