The banks of the Pangong Lake, near the India-China border in Ladakh. Officials say the standoff began in early May when large contingents of Chinese soldiers entered Ladakh.
India

India, China working on ‘early resolution’ of stand-off, says MEA

India and China are persevering with diplomatic and navy engagements for an “early resolution” of the stand-off between border troops, the exterior affairs ministry mentioned on Thursday as individuals aware of developments confirmed the build-up of Chinese forces prolonged to Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

Earlier this week, the 2 sides started what Indian officers described as a “limited military disengagement” at three hotspots alongside the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) – Galwan Valley, Patrolling Point 15 and Hot Springs – in japanese Ladakh, which has been the main focus of the tensions.

However, final month’s violent confrontations between Indian and Chinese troopers in japanese Ladakh and north Sikkim triggered a navy build-up on either side of the LAC that stretched from Ladakh to Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, two senior officers mentioned on situation of anonymity on Thursday.

Asked in regards to the stand-off at a weekly information briefing, exterior affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava mentioned either side proceed to be in contact by diplomatic and navy channels to work for an “early resolution” of the matter consistent with the steerage from the highest management of India and China.

“As you are aware, a meeting was held by the corps commanders of India and China on June 6 in Chushul-Moldo region. This meeting was in continuation of diplomatic and military engagements which both sides have maintained to address the situation in areas along the India-China border,” Srivastava mentioned, referring to the assembly between Lt Gen Harinder Singh, commander of Leh-based 14 Corps, and Maj Gen Liu Lin, commander of the People’s Liberation Army in South Xinjiang area.

The two sides had “agreed that an early resolution of the situation would be in keeping with the guidance of the leaders”, he mentioned.

Srivastava added, “The two sides are, therefore, maintaining their military and diplomatic engagements to peacefully resolve the situation at the earliest as also to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas. This is essential for the further development of India-China bilateral relations.”

He didn’t go into the small print of additional engagements by diplomatic and navy channels and whether or not the 2 sides had mentioned points such because the discount of troops and the Chinese facet pulling again from the Indian facet of the LAC.

One of the 2 senior officers cited above mentioned the Chinese build-up started instantly after clashes between border troops in Ladakh and Sikkim on May 5-6 and May 9, and predated the June 6 assembly between Lt Gen Singh and his Chinese counterpart Maj Gen Liu at Moldo on the Chinese facet of the LAC.

“We have noticed a Chinese military build-up across the length of the border, from the northern to the eastern sector. This is in their so-called ‘depth areas’ or pockets within the Chinese side of the LAC,” he mentioned.

Indian forces matched China’s navy strikes by sending reinforcements to ahead areas, mentioned the second officer cited above.

Former Northern Army commander, Lt Gen (retired) BS Jaswal, mentioned: “This season is usually utilised by them for military exercises. China may have also kept forces in reserve to cater for any conflict contingency due to their early aggressive posturing in Ladakh and Sikkim. It’s also for keeping troops acclimatised.”

Jaswal mentioned India would have deployed sufficient solders in ahead areas to repel any offensive design by China, which might additionally encounter “terrain friction” (terrain difficulties) in case of any adventurism.

While the specifics of the Chinese build-up in different sectors stay unclear, their deployment in “depth areas” throughout the LAC in Ladakh contains greater than 8,000 troops, tanks, artillery weapons, fighter bombers, rocket forces and air defence radars.

In the most recent navy contact between the 2 sides, military delegations held talks in japanese Ladakh on Wednesday to ease tensions alongside the LAC.

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