Ahead of China talks, India signals realistic approach
NEW DELHI: Indian military officials will walk into a meeting on Saturday with their Chinese counterparts to attempt to resolve the month-long row over the Line of Actual Control knowing that it may not be possible to achieve an immediate breakthrough to the standoff in Eastern Ladakh, people familiar with the development said on condition of anonymity.
Saturday’s meeting is the first high-level meeting since the May 5 scuffle involving soldiers from the two countries near Pangong lake and subsequent stand-off at Galwan riverulet and it will happen between Lt General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding the Leh-based 14 Corps, and his Chinese counterpart who heads the People’s Liberation Army’s Group Army.
Last round of talks between delegations led by two major general-rank officers of both armies on June 2 was inconclusive. Officials, however, underline it is significant both sides are talking through established military and diplomatic channels, even as they acknowledge dialogue does not mean an immediate resolution. “This is the eventuality we are prepared for,” one of them said.
India has already made it clear it wants the Chinese troops to move back and restore status quo ante on the four positions. “We are not in a hurry… and I believe, neither is the Chinese side,” a government functionary who asked not to be named said, indicating what he termed the government’s “realistic approach” to the dialogue process.
A second official said that given the high stakes involved, he expected the Ladakh standoff to continue for longer than the 73-day Doklam one. “Both sides have brought in elements that may continue for some months”
The May 5 scuffle between soldiers of the two neighbours, which was triggered by an
› Given the high stakes involved, the Ladakh standoff is likely to continue longer than the 73-day Doklam one.
AN INDIAN OFFICIAL
aggressive group of Chinese soldiers, was the starting point of Beijing scaling up its presence along the eastern Ladakh border.
Over the next few days, China amassed two Combined Arms Brigades of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso patrolling points along the 3,488-kilometrelong Line of Actual Control (LAC). This comes to around 8,000 soldiers plus support elements.
Indian officials say the standoff at Pangong Tso appears to be aimed at dominating the Srijap mountain that overlooks the lake. But the game in Galwan valley, where Chinese military has parked itself around three patrolling points, is a lot more complex.
“Broadly, our understanding is that PLA’s focus on Galwan valley is prompted by multiple objectives mostly linked to stalling upgrade of border infrastructure that has picked up pace in past two years,” a person familiar with government’s position on the standoff said on condition of anonymity.
For one, China wants to stall the construction of the winding 255-km Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie road that will give the Indian army easy access to the last military post south of the dominating Karakoram Pass.
The Indian side is, however, determined to complete construction of the entire stretch by this summer including the 60-metre bridge across the Galwan rivulet or nallah near the point of its confluence with Shyok river. “We have to complete the concrete bridge this month, and the road well before the onset of winter,” the first official said.
Once this is completed, India’s military capacity and capability will increase manifold in the region and enable the army to put counter pressure on PLA at Karakoram Pass, Chip Chap river area, Trig Heights, Hot Springs, Galwan and Depsang Plains.
“India will then have the capacity to counter Chinese pressure,” the first official said. This is an eventuality that the Chinese, who have been upgrading border infrastructure for decades, are trying to avoid. In the long term, Indian strategists say Chinese effort appears focused on making Indian positions in Daulat Beg Oldie sector untenable.