India & China engage in talks to disengage

1st Maj. Gen. level talks after Galwan

India and China on Saturday held Major General level talks at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) to discuss disengagement at the strategic Depsang plains and other friction points. The Major General level talks were held after five rounds of Corps Commanders level meetings. The outcome of the meeting, which began at 11 am and ended at 7:30 pm on the Chinese side of the LAC, was not immediately known.

Depsang plains and Pangong Tso have emerged as the major sticking points in the disengagement process. Till now military talks had mainly concentrated on disengagement at Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Hot Springs and Gogra Post.

In Depsang plains, Chinese troops have been preventing Indian Army patrols from going to Patrolling Points 10 to 13. In Depsang plains, Chinese are concentrated at a place which is around 20-25 kms from a strategic airstrip, the Daulat Beg Oldie Advanced Landing Ground (ALG). This is one of the world’s highest airstrips which was built in 1962 and was reactivated in 2008. There has been a huge build-up of troops, tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery at Depsang and DBO sector by both India and China. Estimates say that India has deployed around 15,000 troops and Russian T-90 tanks at the Depsang-DBO sector.

◗ THERE HAS been a huge build-up of troops, tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery at Depsang and DBO sector by both India and China. Estimates say that India has deployed around 15,000 troops and Russian T-90 tanks at the Depsang-DBO sector. Unlike other friction points in Ladakh, the Depsang plains, situated at an altitude of over 15,000 feet, are flat and suitable for tank action.

Unlike other friction points in Ladakh, the Depsang plains, situated at an altitude of over 15,000 feet, are flat and suitable for tank action.

This was for the first time that Major General level talks were held after the Galwan Valley clash on June 15. Depsang plains has in the past seen many incursions by China, including in a major face-off in 2013. A senior official said that Saturday’s meeting was routine, to just discuss issues like patrolling patterns. “There was no discussion on disengagement,” he added. The PLA is unhappy with the construction of the 255 km-long Darbuk-ShayokDaulat Beg Oldie road which ends near the airstrip. PLA presence at Galwan valley and Depsang plains is a threat to this crucial DS-DBO road which provides allweather connectivity to Indian posts at DBO with Leh.