ISLAMABAD: On the tense night of 31 August 2020, Indian Army Chief GeneralManoj Mukund Naravane faced a critical escalation in eastern Ladakh whenChinese tanks advanced towards strategic positions. Lieutenant GeneralYogesh Joshi, Northern Command chief, alerted him at 8.15 pm about fourChinese tanks supported by infantry moving up a mountain track to RechinLa. Indian forces had earlier seized high ground on the Kailash Range in apreemptive operation, gaining tactical advantage along the Line of ActualControl. The advancing Chinese units came within hundreds of metres ofIndian positions, where elevation dictates dominance in the ruggedHimalayan terrain.
Indian troops fired an illuminating round as a warning, but it failed tohalt the People’s Liberation Army advance. General Naravane urgently soughtdirectives from top political and military leaders, including DefenceMinister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief ofDefence Staff General Bipin Rawat, and External Affairs Minister SJaishankar. He repeatedly asked for clear orders, emphasising an existingprotocol prohibiting opening fire without approval from the highest levels.The situation grew dire as minutes passed without decisive guidance fromthe political establishment.
By 9.10 pm, Joshi reported the Chinese tanks nearing less than a kilometrefrom the pass. Naravane contacted Rajnath Singh again at 9.25 pm, pressingfor explicit directions amid the deteriorating scenario. No immediateresponse came, leaving field commanders in uncertainty. The delayhighlighted potential gaps in civil-military coordination duringhigh-stakes border confrontations, where rapid decisions could prevent ortrigger broader conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
The incident occurred amid the larger 2020 India-China standoff that beganin May, involving aggressive manoeuvres along multiple LAC points,including Pangong Tso and Galwan Valley. Indian preemption on 29-30 Augustsecured dominating heights, prompting Chinese countermeasures. The RechinLa episode represented one of the tensest moments, bringing both sidesperilously close to armed escalation in the Chushul sector. Naravane laterreflected on the pressure, weighing restraint against the risk of war.
Accounts indicate that only around 10.30 pm did Rajnath Singh conveyinstructions after consulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The directivereportedly allowed Naravane to act as he deemed appropriate, effectivelydelegating operational authority. Naravane positioned Indian tanks forward,guns trained on Chinese positions, which halted the advance without firing.This de-escalation preserved Indian gains while avoiding shots, though itunderscored the initial absence of prompt clarity from civilian leadership.
The revelations stem from Naravane’s unpublished memoir, Four Stars ofDestiny, excerpts of which appeared in media reports and sparkedparliamentary debates in India. Opposition figures cited the account toquestion government handling of the crisis, while ruling party responsesdefended the eventual outcome. The memoir details Naravane’s repeatedunanswered queries, portraying a moment of strategic ambiguity at the topduring a potential flashpoint.
Broader context of the 2020 crisis saw over 100,000 troops deployed by bothsides, with the Galwan clash in June claiming lives on both sides.Diplomatic and military talks followed, leading to partial disengagements,though some friction points persist. The Rechin La night exemplified howterrain advantages and quick responses shaped outcomes, with Indian forcesmaintaining control of key heights.
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Such disclosures from senior military figures highlight challenges indecision-making chains during border crises. They raise questions aboutpreparedness and communication protocols between military commanders andpolitical authorities in volatile situations. The event contributed toongoing scrutiny of India’s China policy, with calls for transparency inhandling territorial disputes.
The standoff underscored the fragility of peace along the LAC, wheremiscalculations risk wider confrontation. Naravane’s account emphasisesrestraint shown by field officers, averting what could have been a majorescalation. It also points to the need for streamlined authorisationprocesses in future contingencies to ensure timely responses.
Source: https://caravanmagazine.in/security/navarane-memoir-ladakh-crisis
Modi, Rajnath Singh, Manoj Mukund Naravane
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