Chinese Army moves back tents, troops by 1-2 km in Galwan
| Date :07-Jul-2020 |
NEW DELHI :
Mutual disengagement by India-China armies is being seen as a result of intense diplomatic, military engagement and contacts in the past 48 hours. These developments followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Leh on July 3 where a decisive and firm message was sent out India continues to follow the adage -- trust, but verify
THE Chinese Army has moved back tents, vehicles and troops by 1-2 kilometres from locations where disengagement was agreed upon at Corps Commander-level talks, Indian Army sources said on Monday. Chinese heavy armoured vehicles are still present in the depth areas in the Galwan river area. The Indian Army is monitoring the situation with caution, Army sources informed. “There is mutual disengagement between the two sides on all the four friction points in the Eastern Ladakh sector including Patrolling Point 14 (Galwan Valley), PP-15, Hot Springs and Finger area,” Indian Army Sources said.
The mutual disengagement in Galwan area is about one to two kilometres and is varied at different locations, the sources said. The disengagement was agreed upon between both sides during the third Corps Commander-level meeting on July 1 at Chushul. The disengagement is being seen as a result of intense diplomatic, military engagement and contacts in the past 48 hours. These developments followed Narendra Modi’s visit to Leh on July 3 where a decisive and firm message was sent out.
Prime Minister’s strong message on expansionism by some countries has got global attention, sources said, adding that the message on national security has been appreciated. Disengagement of Chinese troops is being monitored by the Indian side at all four friction points including the PP-14 (Galwan River Valley), PP-15, Hot Springs, and Finger area. The extent of withdrawal is varied at different locations, said sources. According to the sources, India’s responsible stance and message at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has been globally recognised.
Those invested in the India-China relationship in Beijing are also of the opinion that the present stand-off should be resolved, they believe that the current eyeball to eyeball is not in the interest of India and China. India has sent out a decisive message that national security is paramount, sources added. However, de-escalation of troops has not happened yet. Usually de-escalation happens when talks are held at the military level. According to the sources, there are no talks of de-escalation yet. India continues to follow the adage -- trust, but verify. The Chinese Army has moved back tents, vehicles and troops by 1-2 kilometres from locations where disengagement was agreed upon at Corps Commander-level talks, Indian Army sources said on Monday. India has also moved 1-2 Km from the location.
30,000 Indian troops in eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with Chinese in Ladakh
By Aarti Tikoo Singh :
LEH,
AROUND 30,000 troops of Indian Army are in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, following the additional deployment of three brigades since the violent face-off last month. Highly placed sources told IANS that in normal times six brigades, that is two divisions are maintained along the LAC in Ladakh, even as troops are deployed in and out on a rotation basis. However, after the June 15 violent clash, in which 20 Indian soldiers and 43 Chinese soldiers were killed, the Indian Army called for three additional brigades (each brigade constitutes around 3,000 troops and support elements). Around 10,000 troops for the three additional brigades were brought from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, sources said. In all, sources said, there are three Army divisions along the LAC under the XIV Corps Command, as of today. Sources said some para special forces which played a key role in the 2017 surgical strikes against Pakistan, have also been sent to Ladakh. The Indian para troopers come from over a dozen special forces regiments who are trained in high-risk operations in extremely difficult terrain. Similarly, five battalions of Ladakh scouts, an infantry regiment of the Army, is operational for support in the mountain warfare. Since the violent clash in the Galwan Valley, the Indian Army reinforcements have been backed by its M-777 ultra-light howitzers bought from the US, sources said. The American howitzers, sling-loaded to helicopters, are known for their precision artillery fire up to a range of 24-30 kms in mountainous regions. Air Force’s transport aircraft, that is C-17 Globemaster III, sources said, have been used to airlift soldiers, infantry combat vehicles and heavy tanks like T-72/T-90 tanks. According to military sources, the Army has also pressed into service, the Russian Sukhoi-30 fighters, MiG-29 jets, Ilyushin-76 heavy-lift planes, An-32 transport planes, Mi-17 utility helicopters, and BMP-2/2K infantry combat vehicles. To support the Army’s forward deployments like the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) sector along the LAC, sources said, C-130J Super Hercules aircraft are being used. The DBO, the world’s highest runway, stands at 16,614 feet, and 8 km from the LAC in north-eastern Ladakh. Navy’s P-8I aircraft generally used for maritime patrol and reconnaissance, sources said, are being used in Ladakh for high altitude surveillance. Sources said the P-8Is carried out similar surveillance operations during the 2017 India-China standoff in Doka La in Sikkim. Sources said, apart from the Russian and Western defence systems, Indian Army is also using its indigenous Akash, medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile defence system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Army, sources said, is pretty satisfied and confident with their deployments in Ladakh. “We have got everything that a modern Army requires. Any aggression from the Chinese side can be retaliated more than adequately,” a source said. The entire built-up is along the 865 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) which acts as border with China since most of the region has been occupied by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) over time. China occupied Aksai Chin, a part of Ladakh union territory, that is, 38000 sq km, in 1962 war. The Chinese Communist Party regime has also occupied Tibet (1.2 million sq km), which borders Ladakh. India shares a 3488 km-long international border with Tibet under China.