Sanjha Morcha

LAC standoff: Maj Gen-level officials to meet again, ‘some pull-back’ of troops by both sides

10 JUN 2020

LAC standoff: Maj Gen-level officials to meet again, ‘some pull-back’ of troops by both sides

Matters at North of Pangong Tso, a 135-km glacial melt lake, remain deadlocked

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 9

Senior military commanders of India and China are scheduled to meet again at Ladakh on Wednesday over the existing stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) even as reports have emerged that troops of either side have pulled back marginally from existing positions at two locations.

News agencies quoting un-named military sources said troops on either side have pulled back by some 2 km at multiple points – Galwan and Gogra, Hot Springs. There is no on-record verification of this claim by any wing of the government, so far.

News agencies said both sides had withdrawn at multiple locations, including Patroling point 14 (Galwan area), Patrolling point 15, and Hot Springs area.

Sources said this troop movement at Galwan and Hot Springs, for now, should not be treated as a retreat. Soldiers, vehicles and others involved in the face-off site have been reduced and the build-up on either side has moved back a bit.

Matters at North of Pangong Tso, a 135-km glacial melt lake, remain deadlocked.

A Major General who heads the 3 Division of the Indian Army shall be meeting his Chinese counterpart tomorrow, to chalk out a further strategy.

On June 6, the top-most military commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps had met his Chinese counterpart.  At Pangong Tso, the Chinese are adamant to ensure that Indian troops do not patrol East of ‘Finger 4’, sources said indicating that resolution would be complex. East of ‘Finger 4’ is a disputed territory which both sides patrolled before May 5 this year.

The LAC is not demarcated on ground.

India is seeking restoration of status quo ante along the 826-km LAC in Ladakh and freedom to patrol disputed areas. At Galwan, there is no dispute over the alignment of the LAC.

After the Major General-level talks, there would be ground level talks at the Brigade –Commander Level and Battalion-commander level. These talks would be on ground at Galwan, and Hot Springs where patrol lines would be discussed.

Yesterday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said: “India and China military and diplomatic talks are on… have agreed that the future border dispute resolution and also the present tussle will be done through talks.”

Yesterday Hua Chunying, spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry on said China and India have maintained close communication on resolving border issues through diplomatic and military channels.

Chunying said border areas situation were discussed during the meeting between Chinese and Indian military officials on June 6.