New Delhi: China’s People’s Liberation Army contacted Indian forces on 28 August through the local hotline at Chushul, and both sides talked about refraining from any escalatory action and to avoid night patrolling. But later that night, the PLA moved in over 1,000 troops to capture Indian territory on the southern bank of Pangong Tso, government sources told ThePrint.

Indian soldiers thwarted the move, outflanking the PLA and capturing heights up to India’s perception of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Government sources also confirmed a 2 September report by ThePrint, which said the Indian Army had climbed up the ridgeline near Finger 4 on the northern bank of the lake, is dominating positions and is face to face with Chinese soldiers, albeit at a distance.

They also said it is difficult to predict the trajectory of the face-off.

Also read: Provocative Chinese troops fired warning shots at Pangong, not us, Indian Army says

Giving details of the hotline conversation on 28 August, government sources said the Chinese had contacted the Indian side during the day.

“The Indian and Chinese commanders spoke about not taking any escalatory steps. The Chinese also mentioned that night patrolling should not be done. The moment the Chinese mentioned this, our ears went up, because Chinese words and actions don’t match,” a government source said.

This was followed by drone surveillance, and the PLA troops’ movement indicated they were going towards the LAC, and to a specific feature.

Indian troops specialising in mountain warfare raced against time and managed to outflank the Chinese and dominate several heights, giving India strategic hold over the Reqin Pass and Spanggur Gap in the hills in the Chushul sector.

India now at dominant positions

Government sources said following the events of 28 and 29 August and a redeployment of troops, India now has dominating positions along the southern bank of Pangong Tso, and has also beefed up its presence on the northern bank as well as in the overall Chushul sector.

“The Army is in adequate numbers at significant positions. Any attempts by the Chinese to move in will be countered strongly,” the source cited above said.

Speaking about China bringing in heavy artillery and even armoured columns, sources said India too has deployed a lot of equipment and soldiers.

Asked about the prospects of war, sources said the forces are on high alert and a small face-off, as has been happening over the last one week, could keep happening.

“Things do build up to a full-blown conflict but so far there have been only pinpricks. The Chinese deployment right now is non-tactical,” a source said.

Also read: This is what led China to open fire in Ladakh on Monday for the first time in 45 years

What has not been achieved in spite of the lockdown, overwhelming presence of security forces and intelligence inputs is zero infiltration and the reduction of terrorist population to double digits. This magic mantra has eluded the Army and appears unachievable.

Maj Gen Ashok K Mehta (retd)

Military Commentator

When Article 370 was abrogated on August 5, 2019, in J&K — concurrent with the longest lockdown in recent memory — shock and awe prevailed. Two extreme views took over — there would be a massive surge in insurgency and disaffection; and, as claimed by the government, terrorism would end, transforming J&K into a land of milk and honey. One year on, Kashmir is precariously poised between the two extremes, though the establishment’s forecast of the new normal of prosperity and development remains wide off the mark.

Take the flawed litmus test for measuring the state of insurgency in which the security forces have apparently performed impressively. The parameters of success are infiltration, attrition and recruitment of both local and foreign militants. Figures up to July 31 reveal that 150 militants were killed — 130 local and 30 foreigners, a 30 per cent uptick compared with the same period last year.

Approximately 200 terrorists are currently operational in J&K, down from the traditional number of 250 fighters for the last few years. Recruitment has dipped from 152 to 93, mostly local boys and infiltration reduced dramatically to 50 per cent which is a shade below the best (53 per cent) achieved in 2003 with the cooperation of General Pervez Musharraf after the two armies agreed to a ceasefire following Operation Parakram. Nearly 15 top-level terrorist commanders from Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen have been eliminated. As many as 504 overground workers were released on good behaviour bonds.

Further, due to the effective counter-infiltration grid, 90 per cent of recruits were unable to go to PoK for training. Pakistan’s ISI has asked its proxy army to lie low, even on recruitment. Similarly, sleeper cells in the Kashmir, Pir Panjal and Chenab valleys have been asked to mark time.

What has stopped significantly is the interdiction of security force operations by sympathisers and overground workers, returning bodies of slain militants to the families for public funerals and stone-throwing.

Still, violent incidents, mostly by stealth, have continued unabated despite the induction of 40,000 additional paramilitary forces last year. So much secrecy accompanied their arrival that proper synchronisation with the army was not feasible to streamline operations.

Digital connectivity restrictions have also hampered operations on both sides. But, as in the past, 250-300 terrorists are poised in PoK to cross the LoC. What has not been achieved in spite of the lockdown, the overwhelming presence of security forces and intelligence inputs is zero infiltration and the reduction of terrorist population to double digits. This magic mantra has eluded the Army for some time now and appears unachievable. But such statistics without a political plot are irrelevant.

In Pakistan, the removal of Article 370 came as a shocker. Even one year on, Islamabad has failed to fully internationalise the Kashmir dispute despite the active assistance of a P5 player and iron brother, China. Pakistan has issued its own map, showing the Indian part of J&K and Ladakh in Pakistan and marked it as disputed territory illegally occupied by India. A one-minute nationwide silence was observed on August 5 with Prime Minister Imran Khan visiting PoK.

Pakistan’s biggest worry is FATF which has forced the ISI to alter its Kashmir strategy. The Lashkar camp in Muzaffarabad has been relocated in the Neelum and Jhelum valleys. Jaish-e-Mohammad is being held on the leash after the Pulwama ambush. Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Farooq Haider is upset with Imran Khan and General Bajwa’s passivity over the events in J&K. A march to the LoC by Kashmiri groups in PoK in October last year was disallowed.

A clear new development is China becoming an active third member to the Kashmir dispute, as last month’s joint statement from Hainan by Foreign Ministers Wang Yi and Shah Qureshi showed. While India may zealously internalise the Kashmir issue, it has been internationalised.

Insurgency in J&K is not a three- but seven-decade old scourge. Cross-border operations never ceased in 1947 and will not cease unless counter-insurgency is recognised as just one essential component of a political strategy. Successive governments in New Delhi have mistakenly attributed the armed conflict entirely to Pakistan deleting the indigenous element. They have also believed that once you get the terrorist body count in control, it will be open sesame.

The security forces, especially the army, have not only kept J&K intact geographically but also emotionally integrated large sections of rural Kashmiris with the mainland, especially after insurgency reignited in the 1990s. The Sadbhavna programmes of the Army went a long way in winning the hearts and minds of Kashmiris, efforts that dissipated over time.

I recall the winter of 1957 when I reported to my battalion in Uri. En route, I spent some time in Srinagar where while visiting the Dal Lake for the first time, I met a Kashmiri shikarawalla. He was friendly and striking up a conversation, asked: ‘What time is it in India?’ I returned to J&K in 1965, this time on the other side of Pir Panjal in the Mendhar valley. During the war, a wounded Pakistani soldier from the PoK asked me to wind his watch and enquired: ‘What time is it in India?’

But the failure of Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar to foment an uprising was proof that most Kashmiris had made their choice to remain with India. After Pakistan’s defeat in 1971, and right up to 1990, when the LoC was dormant, opportunities were missed to politically resolve Kashmir. Instead, New Delhi was content with the Army’s domination of the security situation.

One year after the nullification of Article 370, while insurgency is nowhere near ending, security forces have kept the lid on the armed conflict, but in an eerie political vacuum in conditions of lockdown exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the absence of the promised development, joblessness and a Rs 40,000-crore hole in the economy, not to mention the myriad human rights violations. The tense situation on the LAC with China will have its negative impact on the security grid in J&K.

While the Army and the Special Forces have once again created conditions for resuming the peace process, New Delhi must engage with Kashmir’s pro-India constituencies for return to democratic politics, followed by addressing the external factor.

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Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, September 8

Punjabis are taking over the world with their killer Bhangra moves.

In a viral video, Punjabis were seen teaching Bhangra to the Ottawa police personnel. The 22-second clip was shared on the microblogging website by Hardi Singh.

“Bhangra Drill for Ottawa Police! Desi moves rule!! Nach paye saare!!!,” his tweet read.

The clip shows the police personnel maintaining distance, and following the footsteps of their instructor.

On a bright sunny day, the personnel with big smiles on their faces, dance their heart o

This is Dr Jigmet Wangchuk, Medical Officer at Primary Health Care Centre in Chushul, Ladakh taking a short break on his way up the mountain. Like many citizens, he has turned into a volunteer for the Indian Army, carrying medicines and water on his back for our brave soldiers deployed on the LAC.

This is love for an army that has always put the nation and its people before itself. The Indian Army has the blessings of a billion people and that makes it invincible.

God bless Dr Jigmet and our soldiers.

Dogras always had a special place in Military Warefare and produced Many distigushed Generals who not only commanded Indian Army n Indian Navy But also extended the international boundries of India Rt up to Tibet Giligit Baltistan.Its a great pride to be a Dogra Soldier.well done Col RS Jamwal , your mother land is proud of you.

The native breeds in Ladakh predominantly include the Bakharwal dog, colloquially called the Gaddi Kutta, the Tibetan Mastiff, mostly found in border areas, and even local feral dogs. The Bakharwal is descended from the Tibetan Mastiff.

“Native dogs of Ladakh are being locally trained and will used on a required basis for various functions,” an Army source told ThePrint.

A senior Army officer told ThePrint that when trained, the local Bakharwal dogs can act as good guard dogs at military posts to alert sentries and others in case of any intrusion.

“On training, they can also be employed as sled dogs at the icy heights of Ladakh for casualty evacuation,” the officer said, adding that a few dogs are being trained for the purpose.

The officer added that the local feral dogs could be used for mine detection on training as they have “very good sniffing powers”.

Native dog breeds are in focus as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly Mann ki Baat radio address, had urged people to adopt Indian breeds if they planned to keep them as pets and had said the Indian Council of Agricultural Research is also conducting research on such dogs.

“I have been told that Indian breed dogs are very good and competent. Among the Indian breeds, Mudhol hound and Himachali hound are high pedigree dogs. Rajapalayam, Kanni, Chippiparai and Combai are also very good Indian breeds,” he had said.

He specifically had mentioned Sophie, a Cocker Spaniel, and Vida, a Labrador, who were involved in counter-infiltration and counter-terrorism operations, and were awarded with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) commendations during Independence Day celebrations this year.

Also read: Rajapalayam, Kanni, Combai — all about Indian dog breeds PM Modi talked about in Mann ki Baat

Avalanche rescue, mine detection: roles played by dogs in Ladakh

Army sources told ThePrint that the force has dogs for explosives and mine detection in Ladakh and that they are deployed as and when required to secure lanes of communications in the forward areas.

Sources, however, clarified that the canines deployed in the Ladakh region are primarily avalanche rescue operations (ARO) dogs and are integral part of various search and rescue operations.

“Bestowed with a naturally gifted sense of smell, the ARO dogs can quickly detect the victims buried up to 20-30 ft of snow. During disasters, these silent warriors are looked upon as reliable saviours,” an Army source said.

“Primarily Labradors and German Shepherds are deployed in Ladakh due to extreme weather conditions for their thick coat,” an officer said.

“Until date, the Army dogs and Army dog trainers of Army Dog Units in Ladakh have been awarded 10 COAS and 07 GOC-in-C commendation cards for their contributions in search and rescue missions,” the officer added.

Speaking of mountain dogs, such as the Ladakhi breeds, animal rights activist Gauri Maulekhi told ThePrint that most of them survive easily at a higher altitude.

“They are sturdy, have a thick coat and are acclimatised to cold and desolate conditions,” she said. “They are friendly with humans and also make for great shepherds. They are made to order for the hills.

“However, if kept in a warmer climate or in the plains, they suffer much and develop health problems that may be fatal,” he added.

‘Army dogs as force multipliers’

The Indian Army deploys dogs for eight different requirements — track, guard, mine detection, explosive detection, infantry patrol, AOR, search and rescue, assault and narcotic detection.

Senior Army officials told ThePrint that the dogs have had stellar operation success and act as force multipliers in various counter insurgency and counter terror operations. They have also saved lives during avalanches, earthquakes and other natural disasters.

According to data with the Army, the force’s dogs have contributed to at least 53 operational successes since July 2019. They include 30 instances of recovery of IEDs and explosives, five instances where they tracked and located terrorists leading to their killing, 14 instances where they contributed in the recovery of arms, ammunition and other war-like stores, and four instances where they have contributed in the rescue of live individuals and mortal remains in snow-bound areas.

There is also an increasing demand from friendly foreign countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar and  Cambodia for these dogs. Countries such as South Africa, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Seychelles have shown interest in getting their Army personnel trained in dog handling courses conducted by the Indian Army.

Also read: Situation in eastern Ladakh still ‘sensitive’. China, India deploy tanks, additional troops

In a statement, Army said China is continuing with provocative activities to escalate the situation at the LAC when India is committed to disengagement.

New Delhi: Opening a new phase of tensions in Eastern Ladakh, Chinese troops fired warning shots in the air when challenged by Indian soldiers as they attempted to close in with one of India’s forward positions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Indian Army said.

The Army, in a statement, also termed a statement by China’s Western Theatre Command, which had accused India of crossing the LAC and opening fire, “an attempt to mislead their domestic and international audience”.

Accusing China of continuing with “provocative activities to escalate the situation, the Army statement said, “India, while is committed to disengagement and de-escalating the situation on the LAC, China continues to undertake provocative activities to escalate.”

The Army underlined that at no stage have the Indian soldiers transgressed across the LAC or resorted to use of any aggressive means, including firing.

“It is the PLA that has been blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive manoeuvres, while engagement at military, diplomatic and political level is in progress.”

The statement added, “In the instant case on 07 September 2020, it was the PLA troops who were attempting to close-in with one of our forward positions along the LAC and when dissuaded by own troops, PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate own troops. However, despite the grave provocation, own troops exercised great restraint and behaved in a mature and responsible manner.”

The Indian Army said it is committed to maintaining peace and tranquility, but is also determined to protect national integrity and sovereignty at all costs.

“The statement by the Western Theatre Command is an attempt to mislead their domestic and international audience,” the Army statement said.

The Ministry of External Affairs has also issued a similar statement.

Sources in the defence and security establishment said the action took place Monday evening along the LAC on the Rezang-La-Rechin La ridgeline after the Chinese attempted to transgress into the Indian-dominated territory on the southern bank of Pangong Tso.

The firing incident, confirmed by both India and China, breaks the over four-decades-old record of not a single shot being fired despite an unsettled border that witnesses several face-offs every year.

ThePrint had reported on 4 September that new rules of engagement are in play at the LAC.

Commanders on both sides are talking to each other to calm the situation, the sources said.

They said the Chinese in large numbers and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) were attempting to wrest control of a post on the ridgeline.

Also read: New tension at Pangong as China accuses Indian Army of firing warning shots at its troops

China accused India of crossing LAC and opening fire

China has again accused Indian troops of crossing the LAC, even though Army sources underlined that they have not crossed the Indian perception of the LAC.

Chinese perception of their own LAC comes well within Indian territory and is known as the Green Line.

The source maintained that Indians are within their own perception of the LAC but the Chinese consider the areas as their own territory and hence comes their claim of Indians crossing it.

The China’s Western Theatre Command, which takes care of the border with India, issued a statement late Monday night accusing Indian troops of opening warning shots.

Colonel Zhang Shuili, spokesperson of the Western Theatre Command, said Indian troops crossed the LAC at the west section of the China-India border, into the Shenpao mountain region near the south bank of Pangong Tso.

“During the operation, the Indian army blatantly fired threats to the patrol personnel of the Chinese border guards who had made representations, and the Chinese border guards were forced to take countermeasures to stabilize the situation on the ground,” China’s state-owned Global Times reported.

The PLA added that the Indian side’s move seriously violated related agreements reached by both sides, stirred up tensions in the region, and would easily cause misunderstandings and misjudgments, which “is a serious military provocation and is very vile in nature”.

Also read: India’s use of secret guerrilla force SFF in Ladakh signals a larger design to contain China