New Delhi. Due to the severe trust deficit with China, India is preparing to maintain forward deployment of troops for the fifth consecutive winter along the Line of Actual Control in the difficult areas of eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh-Sikkim. There may be signs of “progress and narrowing of differences” in political-diplomatic talks, but according to top sources in the defense establishment, the trust deficit on the ground with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) remains very high.
Sources said the way China continues to strengthen its forward military positions as well as build ‘permanent security’ and infrastructure along the 3,488-km long LAC, it is quite clear that the PLA will not be able to return to its peacetime positions in the near future. But will not return.
With the Army transitioning from ‘summer to winter’, the process of ‘winter storage’ is underway on a large scale for additional troops deployed on the border. Meanwhile, General Upendra Dwivedi and Commander-in-Chief of the seven commands of the Army will also review the operational situation in the meeting to be held in Gangtok (Sikkim) on 9-10 October.
Due to the spate of bilateral political-diplomatic talks in the last few months, the discussion of possible success in the military confrontation in eastern Ladakh has intensified. These included the 30th and 31st meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border matters on July 31 and August 29, followed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the Chinese side during the BRICS meeting in St. Petersburg on September 12. A meeting took place between Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Long Wait
However, the rival army corps commanders held their 21st talks on 19 February. China had then once again rejected India’s attempt to defuse two major ongoing confrontations in the strategically located Depsang Plains, facing the vital Daulat Beg Oldie and Karakoram Pass in the north, and Charding Ninglung near Demchok. The drain is a track junction.
A senior official said. “If the army retreats in Depsang and Demchok, it will only be the first step. “The threat will remain unless tensions are subsequently reduced and troops are withdrawn to restore status quo,”
The creation of buffer zones by September 2022 following the earlier withdrawal of troops in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso-Kailash Range and Gogra-Hot Springs and the standoff at Depsang and Demchok means Indian troops will be deployed in their 65 patrolling points (PPs). 26, which starts from the Karakoram Pass in the north and runs to Chumar in the south in eastern Ladakh.
“Even the buffer zones were only for temporary arrangements,” the official said. China is continuously making unreasonable demands and playing the waiting game for a long time. “India will have to be careful not to fall into China’s trap.” Of course, there is a realization that as the military standoff continues, only political-diplomatic talks can break the deadlock.
“If both sides agree on a broad framework, the modalities for actual disengagement in Depsang and Demchok can be worked out at the military level,” he said. Meanwhile, the Army is maintaining a ‘high level of operational preparedness’ with redeployment of troops along with adequate reserve forces and logistics in each sector of the LAC to deal with any contingency.
