India in no mood to back down in China stand-off
NEW DELHI: India has decided to not back down from a standoff with China — along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh — that centres around a strategic bridge being built near Daulat Beg Oldi, the last military post south of the Karakoram Pass, and has moved troops to counter Chinese forces stationed in the region, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named.
The idea is to not allow any alteration of Indian claimed territory and to face the Chinese challenge with “strength and restraint”, the people cited above said on Tuesday against the backdrop of a high-level security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The PM met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat to assess the situation along the LAC amid a tense stand-off between thousands of Indian and Chinese troops, especially in Galwan Valley and Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh. “The bottom line is that we will not allow any change in the status quo on the LAC. That we will not permit,” said one of the people cited above, who spoke on condition of anonymity. In many ways, India’s position is a reiteration of the stance it adopted during the 73-day standoff at Doklam in 2017, when Indian troops dug in and stood their ground in the face of a rapid mobilisation by the Chinese side.
Indian security officials said that the focus of the Chinese action in the area was to “dominate the region” and “deter India” from completing the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi road, which, once fully metalled, will give India a major advantage in terms of access and military mobilisation. A key part of this is the construction of a bridge at Daulat Beg Oldi that China wants to stop.
“India has decided to stand up to China — in terms of troops, capacity and resources,” one of the officials said on condition of anonymity, adding that this included the induction of specialised forces in the area. China is believed to have marshalled close to 5,000 soldiers on its side of Ladakh sector. The situation in the Sikkim sector, meanwhile, has eased off, the official added.
The people cited in the first instance also reiterated the external affairs ministry’s contention of May 22 that all activities by Indian troops were on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control in the Ladakh and Sikkim sectors.
They repeated the ministry’s accusation that it was Chinese troops that were hindering normal patrolling by Indian forces on the Indian side of the LAC.
A second person, who too spoke on condition of anonymity, said India’s construction activities in forward areas will not stop because of the standoff.
The issue is being dealt with on the Indian side by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by PM Narendra Modi.