New Delhi: Amid China’s ongoing military buildup and the establishment of permanent security and infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India is actively preparing to sustain its troop deployment in the challenging terrains of eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh-Sikkim for the fifth consecutive winter.
As the weather shifts from summer to winter, the army is implementing a large-scale initiative to create winter storage for the additional troops stationed along the border. General Upendra Dwivedi and commanders-in-chief from all seven commands will assess the current situation in a meeting set for October 9 and 10 in Gangtok, Sikkim.
China’s actions along LAC reflect disconnect between its words and deeds
Although multiple rounds of talks have occurred between India and China to mitigate the standoff in eastern Ladakh, commander-level discussions are anticipated soon. However, a trust deficit remains, as China’s actions along the 3,488km LAC clearly reflect a disconnect between its words and deeds.
According to a report by the Times of India, discussions about a potential breakthrough in the military confrontation in eastern Ladakh have gained momentum due to a series of political and diplomatic talks over the past few months. These included the 30th and 31st meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) on July 31 and August 29, followed by a meeting between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of a BRICS summit in St. Petersburg on September 12.
Indian troops unable to access 26 of 65 patrolling points
During the last round of discussions on February 19 between military corps commanders, China rejected India’s proposal to defuse two major ongoing standoffs at the strategically important Depsang Plains—near the crucial Daulat Beg Oldie and Karakoram Pass—and the Charding Ninglung Nallah track junction close to Demchok. “A disengagement at Depsang and Demchok, if it occurs, will merely be the first step. Until there is further de-escalation and withdrawal of troops to restore the status quo ante, the threat will persist,” a senior officer was quoted as saying in the TOI report.
The establishment of buffer zones following previous troop disengagements at Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso-Kailash Range, and Gogra-Hot Springs until September 2022, along with the ongoing tensions at Depsang and Demchok, has resulted in Indian troops being unable to access 26 of their 65 patrolling points (PPs), which extend from the Karakoram Pass in the north to Chumar in the south of Eastern Ladakh.
Nonetheless, there is a recognition that with the military stalemate ongoing, only political and diplomatic discussions can resolve the impasse. Meanwhile, the army is maintaining a high level of operational readiness, adjusting troop placements, and ensuring adequate reserves and logistics in each sector of the LAC to address any contingencies.
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