Focus shifts to Finger4 as pullback progresses
Minor thinning of PLA soldiers observed, process yet to pick up steam
NEW DELHI: With the disengagement process between the Indian and Chinese armies making measurable progress in Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra, the focus of reducing tensions in eastern Ladakh has shifted to the sensitive Finger Area near Pangong Tso, which remains the “biggest test” and “hardest part” of the disengagement process, two officials familiar with the developments on the ground said on Wednesday.
The Indian Army has observed a marginal thinning of troops, vehicles and removal of structures from a key spur there over the last 24 hours, said an official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Some Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) elements have retreated from Finger 4 but it can’t, by any stretch, be seen as disengagement,” he added.
“The Finger Area will now be at the centre of the stepwise disengagement process, which is underway at friction points in Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra. Temporary buffer zones between rival troops have been created there. The Finger Area will be the hardest part of disengagement,” said a second official who asked not to be named.
The Finger Area refers to a set of eight cliffs jutting out of the Sirijap range overlooking the Pangong lake. The disengagement process began after militarylevel talks on June 30, and a subsequent conversation on July 6 between national security adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.
There is no clarity on the nature of discussions that took place on the Chinese presence in Pangong Tso — whether any decision was taken to disengage now, or to leave it for subsequent discussions after making progress in other areas. The army did not officially comment on the matter.
Before the PLA grabbed positions on Finger 4 overlooking Indian deployments, the army would patrol right up to Finger 8 that New Delhi considers within Indian territory. The new positions held by the PLA have curtailed the scope of Indian patrols. Fingers 4 and 8 are 8km apart.
The Indian claim line in this sector extends to Finger 8, while the Chinese claim is up to Finger 4 where the PLA has set up permanent bunkers, pillboxes, observation posts and tented camps over the last two months.
Military experts, too, said the Finger Area will test the disengagement process.
“Disengagement appears to be making reasonable progress in Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra. The Finger Area will now be the focal point of the disengagement process and will be a true test of China’s commitment and sincerity to resolve the situation,” said former army vice chief Lieutenant General AS Lamba (retd). But even as uncertainty persists on Pangong Tso, the army has begun a rigourous verification process to monitor the withdrawal of the PLA from Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Gogra, where 4-km buffer zones between troops have come up, as reported by HT on Wednesday.
While the PLA has withdrawn up to 2km from Patrolling Point 14 (Galwan Valley) and PP-15 (Hot Springs) over the last three days, a similar retreat is expected to be completed at PP-17 (Gogra) within a 24-hour time frame.