SOURCE : THE WEEK
There is no clarity on the next round of India-China military commanders’ meet, as both sides are still working on the modalities. The Indian side is yet to hear from China on the proposed ninth round of Lt General level talks between the Indian Army and Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The joint statement issued after the eighth round of military commanders’ meeting held on November 6 claimed that two sides had a candid, in-depth and constructive exchange of views on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of India-China border areas. While agreeing for a next round of meeting soon, both sides had agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, and, taking forward the discussions at this meeting to push for the settlement of other outstanding issues.
Official sources said that unlike the Doklam episode in 2017, where the Chinese had insisted the Indian side to initiate the pull-back process, this time, India is determined to push the Chinese side to take the first step of disengagement. India has been firm on its stand of the principle of ‘first in, first out’, which means China must drawdown first, as PLA was the aggressor.
“Unless Chinese takes the first move, we will not pull back from our ground position. And, we have communicated this to them firmly. We are yet to hear from them on the next date of military commanders’ meeting,” said a senior official, while maintaining that the Indian side is also looking for a peaceful outcome to the seven-month deadlock but on “mutually acceptable pullback terms”.
During the last military commanders’ talk, the Chinese side was learnt to have agreed to discuss the pull back plan of its artillery and armoured units from all friction points. China even proposed a phase-wise withdrawal plan of its troops from the Finger areas of Pangong Tso.
The Global Times, mouthpiece of China military, had quoted sources to reported that China and India are about to implement a disengagement plan under reciprocal principle.
But, China has been insisting on Indian troops to withdraw from dominating heights in southern bank of Pangong Tso.
On August 29, the Indian Army launched its “Operation Snow Leopard” to take control of dominating heights in the Chushul region of the southern bank of Pangong Tso. By gaining control of dominating heights, India can overlook Chinese Moldo Garrison. The Indian military has occupied some strategic heights—Magar Hill, Gurung Hill, Gorkha Hill and Reqin La, and are within their side of the LAC.
Military strategists believe that pulling back from these dominating heights will be a strategic disaster for India.
Winter has already hit the snow desert in eastern Ladakh with temperature dipping down to minus 20 degree Celsius during nights. And with no imminent signs of withdrawal, the Indian Army has recently completed the establishment of habitat facilities to protect its soldiers on the LAC. Troops in frontline are accommodated in heated tents as per tactical considerations of their deployment as temperature in eastern Ladakh dips to minus 30-40°c coupled with wind chill factor.
Apart from smart camps with integrated facilities built over the years, additional state of the art habitat with integrated arrangements for electricity, water, heating facilities, health and hygiene have been recently created to accommodate the troops, according to defence officials.
