Rajnath Singh reviewed the overall security scenario in eastern Ladakh. (FILE)
New Delhi:
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday reviewed the overall security scenario in eastern Ladakh amid ongoing talks between India and China over the disengagement process in the high-altitude region, sources said close to developments.
The meeting was attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defense Staff, General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army, General MM Naravane, Chief Admiral of the Marine Karambir Singh and IAF Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.
The sources said all important aspects of the border with China in eastern Ladakh were discussed in detail.
The meeting also discussed the way forward to deal with the situation, they added.
The analysis follows the military’s assessment that the Chinese military is not taking the resolution of the border conflict in eastern Ladakh seriously. There has been a stalemate in military talks as the Indian military insisted strongly that the Chinese side must restore the status quo ante of April this year to resolve the conflict that is more than three months old.
The Indian military has made it clear to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) that the “displacement” of the effective line of control is not acceptable to it, the sources said, adding that the Chinese military was now desperately trying to make “ex post facto strategic sense”. to its actions in eastern Ladakh.
“Due to the strong reaction of the Indian military, the PLA is facing the unintended and unintended consequences of its mishap,” a source said, adding that she was looking for an “exit strategy for save face”.
India and China have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks over the past two and a half months, but no significant progress has been made in resolving the border conflict in eastern Ladakh.
On Thursday, the two sides held another round of diplomatic talks after which the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said they had agreed to resolve the outstanding issues “in a speedy manner” and in accordance with the agreements and existing protocols.
However, the sources said the meeting could not produce any significant results. The official troop disengagement process began on July 6, a day after an almost two-hour telephone conversation between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on ways to reduce tensions in the region. However, the process has not advanced since mid-July.
The Chinese military has withdrawn from the Galwan Valley and some other friction points, but troop withdrawal has not progressed in Pangong Tso, Depsang and a few other areas, sources said.
During the five rounds of corps commander-level talks, the Indian side insisted on the full disengagement of Chinese troops at the earliest and the immediate re-establishment of the status quo ante in all parts of eastern Ladakh by April.
Even as the two sides engaged in diplomatic and military talks, the Indian military is preparing elaborately to maintain its current strength in all key areas of eastern Ladakh during the harsh winter months.
Army chief Naravane has already told all senior army commanders overseeing the operation of frontline formations along the LAC to maintain a significantly high state of vigilance and maintain an aggressive posture to do so. faced with any Chinese “mishap”, the sources told me.
The military is also in the process of procuring a number of weapons, ammunition and winter gear for frontline troops, they added. The temperature in some of the high elevation areas along the LAC drops to minus 25 degrees Celsius during the winter months.
Tensions between the two sides escalated after heavy clashes in the Galwan Valley on June 15 in which 20 members of the Indian army were killed. The Chinese side has also suffered losses, but has yet to give details.
According to a US intelligence report, the death toll on the Chinese side was 35. Following the Galwan Valley incident, the government gave the armed forces “complete freedom” to give a “dignified” response to any mishap. Chinese along the LAC.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
