India-China: Army seeks to change rules of engagement along real line of control
New Delhi:
The violent confrontation with Chinese soldiers in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh prompted the Indian army to rethink its rules of engagement along the sensitive line of real control (LAC), people directly informed of the case.
Twenty soldiers sacrificed their lives for India during the clash with the Chinese army in the high altitude area. Losses on the Chinese side reached 45, sources said.
At the moment, the armed Indian soldiers have strict instructions not to open fire in the event of a physical fight with the Chinese.
But after the last clash on Monday night – the deadliest along the LAC in decades – the military is seeking to revise its protocols by engaging Chinese forces, sources said. The revised rules of engagement will aim to allow Indian troops to effectively attack Chinese forces. A decision on the matter has not yet been made by the military leadership, sources said.
During the violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley, the two sides were armed with batons and sticks with nails. Reserves have been called repeatedly by the two sides, army sources said. Several soldiers fell into the Galwan River during the fight. Extreme cold and hypothermia made the situation worse.
Since the beginning of May, hundreds of soldiers have been drawn up against each other at three sites. The two sides had discussed ways to defuse, but Monday’s clashes erupted when Chinese troops turned against a group of Indian soldiers, including an officer.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said on Tuesday that the clash was “an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo” at the border.
The United States, which has growing friction with China but sees India as an emerging ally, has said it hopes for a “peaceful resolution” and is monitoring the situation closely.
