ISLAMABAD – The recent standoff between India and China erupted overinfrastructure construction near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) earlierthis month. China has been urging India to be cautious and restrained overinfrastructure development in the border areas, which are separated by theloosely demarcated LAC.
The Indian Army has reinforced its troops in eastern Ladakh amid anongoing standoff at Galwan Valley after Chinese troops allegedly trespassedacross the border and stationed in dozens of temporary tents for the lasttwo weeks, according to Times of India.
As part of “requisite counter measures”, the Indian Army has reportedlymoved additional infantry battalions to Ladakh. The reinforcements havebeen shifted to ensure that they can replace “in rear locations theacclimatised troops shifted forward to the sites of confrontation with thePeople’s Liberation Army”, sources told the publication.
Other contingency plans have also been put in place. Units in the Lehinfantry division comprising 12,000 soldiers have been moved to occupyforward operational alert areas from their permanent depth locations.
In the wake of the month-long sporadic skirmishes on the bank of PangongLake, Demchok, and Galwan Valley areas in Ladakh, Indian Army Chief GeneralM.M. Naravane visited Ladakh to take stock of the ground situation onSaturday.
After deploying additional troops to “reclaim authority” over GalwanValley, Beijing pitched 70-80 tents and parked heavy vehicles as theChinese side considered that India’s defence fortifications were“obstructing normal patrols and operations of Chinese border troops”.
India’s Foreign Ministry countered the claim and said that it is China thatis hindering the patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
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Even though it has been almost three weeks since a violent clash on thenorthern banks of Pangong left soldiers from both the sides badly injured,the deadlock continues, according to sources. There have been scufflesbetween the patrolling parties of both the sides after the violent clash on5 May.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army has also denied reports of the detention of oneof its soldier by Chinese troops in Galwan Valley.
“There has been no detention of Indian soldiers at the borders. Wecategorically deny this. It only hurts national interests when mediaoutlets publish unsubstantiated news”, a statement issued by the IndianArmy on Sunday reads.
Despite two rounds of talks between the commanders of the Indian andChinese forces to de-escalate the situation in Galwan Valley, the matterremains unresolved.
India and China share a roughly 4,000-kilometre border ranging from Kashmirto Arunachal Pradesh. – Sputnik
