SOURCE: THE PRINT
India and China discussed the possibility of not deploying additional troops and equipment in the area of the ongoing stand-off at eastern Ladakh besides stopping new tents and bunker construction activity in friction areas, ThePrint has learnt. Sources in the know said the issue was discussed during the Corps Commander-level talks between both countries on 22 June at the Chushul-Moldo meeting point on the Chinese side of the LAC.
The Indian delegation for the talks was led by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen. Harinder Singh and the Chinese one by the Commander of the South Xinjiang Military District, Major General Lin Liu. The fresh details of the meeting come amid reports that the Chinese observation post at Galwan Valley that triggered last week’s clash between the two sides — killing 20 Indian soldiers and an unconfirmed number among troops of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) — has been erected again.
“While certain decisions have been arrived at during the talks, the implementation on ground is yet to commence and the de-escalation may take months,” a source said.
According to sources, the discussions imply that “certain formations which were preparing to move will not move for the time being”.
However, the “earmarked troops” will continue to remain on standby and move at short notice should the situation warrant, a second source said.
Sources said the Corps Commanders also discussed not carrying out additional building of posts, tents and bunkers in the friction area. This would include Galwan, where the Chinese had ramped up presence in the week between the talks and the 15 June clash.
At Pangong Lake, the Chinese, who have encroached into the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by 8 km and are squatting at Finger 4 in Indian territory, have built a number of structures and brought in various kinds of equipment.
‘India has enough reinforcements’
India has inducted nearly three divisions worth of troops in Ladakh since the stand-off began early May. A division roughly comprises anywhere between 10,000 and 12,000 soldiers.
The inductions in the Galwan Valley, Depsang Plains, Pangong Tso, Chushul, Daulat Beg Oldi include not just infantry, but also personnel of the artillery, mechanised forces, armoured and other branches.
Besides this, India has also deployed fighters of the Indian Air Force and the Chinook and Apache attack helicopters.
Sources said India has “more than enough” additional reinforcements in Ladakh including the acclimatised soldiers in reserve.
Owing to the high altitude, the soldiers first undergo an acclimatisation process before they are inducted into forward areas in the region. This acclimatisation process can last as long as two weeks.
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