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Tag: India China clash

  • India hopes China will work with it to bring satisfactory resolution to current issues: Foreign Secretary

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Asserting that peace and tranquillity in the border areas is a “sine qua non” for India and China to work together, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Thursday said New Delhi hopes that Beijing will work with it to bring a satisfactory resolution to the current issues, keeping in view each other’s sensitivities and interests.

    In his remarks at a seminar on “Leveraging China’s Economy”, Shringla also said the developments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh have “seriously disturbed” the peace and tranquillity in border areas, and this has obviously had an impact on the broader relationship too.

    The foreign secretary also referred to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s remarks that the ability of India and China to work together will determine the Asian century.

    “For this to materialise, peace and tranquillity in the border areas is a sine qua non. He (Jaishankar) has also clearly articulated that development of our ties can only be based on mutuality — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests should guide this process,” Shringla said.

    “We hope that the Chinese side will work with us to bring a satisfactory resolution to the current issues so as to make progress on our bilateral relations keeping in view each other’s sensitivities, aspirations and interests,” the foreign secretary said.

    The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

    As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in the Gogra area in August and in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in February.

    Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector, according to sources.

    In his remarks, Shringla also talked about the issues of concerns in the Sino-India trade relationship such as the widening trade deficit and increase in trade barriers.

    “China is our largest neighbour. With its GDP reaching USD 14.7 trillion in 2020, China’s economy is the second-largest in the world. Under the shadow of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, China is the only major economy to have registered positive growth in 2020,” he said.

    Being the largest contributor to world trade and our largest trading partner, it is imperative for us to have a better understanding of China’s economy, Shringla said.

    He noted that India’s relations generally followed a positive trajectory since 1988 when the two country’s re-established contacts at the highest level.

    “We were engaged in developing a broad-based bilateral relationship. The advancement of ties in this period was clearly predicated on ensuring that peace and tranquillity were not disturbed. The areas of cooperation were not limited to bilateral but also had regional and global dimensions,” he said.

    It was also recognised that relations between India and China were in the interest of not only our two countries but also in the interest of peace, stability and security in the region and world at large, Shringla said at the seminar organised by the Centre for Contemporary China Studies.

    Noting that last year, the total trade volume between the two countries was around USD 88 billion, Shringla said in the first nine months of this year, the bilateral trade touched USD 90 billion, an increase of 49 per cent over last year.

    “At this rate, we are likely to attain the highest ever bilateral trade between two countries,” he said.

    The trade, however, remains unbalanced with a large trade balance in favour of China, Shringla said.

    “Our trade deficit concerns are two-fold the first is the actual size of the deficit. The trade deficit for the nine months period stood at USD 47 billion. This is the largest trade deficit we have with any country. Second, is the fact that the imbalance has continuously been widening,” the foreign secretary said.

    There are a number of market access impediments including a whole host of non-tariff barriers, for most of our agricultural products and the sectors we are competitive in, such as pharmaceutical, IT/ITES, etc., he said.

    “We have highlighted that widening deficit and increase in trade barriers are issues of concern. These have been regularly flagged at the highest level, most recently at the 2nd Informal Summit between our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and the Chinese President in Chennai in 2019,” Shringla said.

    He also said the government remains firm in its commitment to place this trade relationship on a more sustainable footing and raising these issues at all appropriate occasions with the Chinese side.

    Developments since then, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have not been helpful in our efforts to address these concerns, Shringla said.

    “Furthermore, the developments along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh have seriously disturbed the peace and tranquillity in border areas. This has obviously had an impact on the broader relationship too,” he said.

    “Even as we continue to pursue these issues with China, we also need to do work at home. That is why, Atmanirbhar Bharat — an India with greater capabilities not just helping itself but being a force for good in the international arena, becomes important,” Shringla said.

    He asserted that the digital economy is now an integral part of India’s development story.

  • Increasing activities by China in depth areas of eastern sector: Eastern Army Commander

    By PTI

    RUPA: China has increased the intensity of military exercises and deployment of troops in its depth areas opposite the Arunachal Pradesh sector and India has correspondingly readied contingency plans to deal with any eventualities, Eastern Army Commander Lt.Gen.Manoj Pande said on Tuesday.

    The commander also asserted that the Indian preparedness to respond to any contingency is of a “very high order”.

    Lt.Gen.Pande said both sides are attempting to develop infrastructure closer to the Line of Actual Control(LAC) and that creates certain issues at times.

    “Since the infrastructure has come up close to the LAC, there has been a marginal increase in border defence troops,” he told a group of visiting journalists.

    Lt.Gen.Pande said Chinese military exercises are joint operations among various arms of its defence forces that are carried out under an integrated approach and there was an increase in the intensity and duration of the drills.

    He said new villages have come up on the Chinese side of the border in certain areas and India has taken note of it in its operational strategy as the habitats could be used for military purpose as well.

    The commander overseeing the Indian Army’s operational readiness along the over 1,300-km-long LAC in the eastern theatre also said its Mountain Strike Corps has now been fully operationalised and it has carried out validation and integrated training with other formations.

    “All its units, the combat units, the combat support and the logistics units have been fully equipped.”

    Giving an account of India’s overall military modernisation, Lt.Gen.Pande said that an in-principle approval has been given to new combat formations called the Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) which can mobilise fast with a more effective approach.

    The IBGs will comprise a mix of infantry, artillery, air defence, tanks and logistics units and the new set up is expected to revamp the Army’s war fighting capabilities, particularly along the borders with China and Pakistan.

    “We are looking at the IBG model for the Mountain Strike Corps essentially so that we have better option for its deployment,” he said.

    On Chinese activities in the eastern sector, he said there has been a marginal increase in its deployment of troops in some areas.

    “The annual training exercise that the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) carries out has seen some increase in the level of activities in the depth areas. Some of the reserve formations which the PLA mobilised continue to remain in their training areas that are in the operational depth areas,” he added.

    “The areas of exercise are in depth of LAC and these are their traditional training areas and the focus, as per inputs available to us, has been integrated joint operations between various arms of their defence forces.”

    The commander said India has taken a number of steps and the foremost among them is enhancing surveillance both close to the LAC and the depth areas by synergising all surveillance resources right from the strategic level to the tactical level.

    “We have adequate forces that are available in each sector to deal with any contingency that may arise. We are practising and rehearsing various contingencies that may arise,” he said.

    Asked about the recent agreement between China and Bhutan to resolve their decades-old boundary dispute and whether it will impact India’s strategic interests in the areas around Doklam tri-junction, the Army Commander did not give a direct reply but said authorities concerned in the government must have taken correct note of it and would be acting accordingly.

    On China’s violation of various border agreements and protocols that triggered the eastern Ladakh standoff, Lt.Gen.Pande indicated that the issue is being discussed at a higher level.

    “In terms of our larger guidance, strategic guidance in terms of dealing with situation on the LAC is to respect the mutually agreed protocols and agreements, and that has been our effort, notwithstanding what has been the action or response from the other side,” he said.

    “Consequent to what happened and what we need to do in the future, is something I reckon is being looked into at the larger level.”

    The senior commander also said that a fourth hotline between the two sides in the sector has been activated recently.

    Asked about Chinese activities in Doklam, where the armies of India and China were locked in a 73-day standoff in 2017, Lt.Gen.Pande said both sides are fully aware of the sensitivities of each other in the area.

    “I would say in terms of increase in troops level, there has not been any major increase and the infrastructure remained what it was earlier,” he said.

    On Aspahila, another disputed area, he said some infrastructure development close to the Chinese side of the LAC in terms of setting up of habitats was observed and that led to deployment of more number of troops.

    On the situation in Naku La in North Sikkim region, he said these are areas where patrolling teams come face-to-face and there are standard drills to resolve the issues.

    “At times the face-offs last a little longer but they are resolved as per laid down norms,” he said.

    Lt.Gen.Pande further said that military equipment under emergency procurement are being procured for the eastern theatre just like the way such systems are inducted into the formations in eastern Ladakh.

    “I would say equal number of equipment is also being inducted into the eastern theatre with a focus on mobility,” he said, adding the Army is also looking at procuring counter drone technology both in kinetic and non-kinetic domain.

    He said the focus has also been on setting up new logistics storage bases in forward areas as underground ones too enhance overall capabilities.

    Asked about the Siliguri corridor that connects the Northeast region with rest of India, he said radicalisation and separatist tendencies are major areas of concern.

    “Siliguri corridor is sensitive for us as there have been challenges of radicalisation and separatist tendencies. We are looking at a ‘whole of the nation approach’ to mitigate the threat in normal time and the hybrid threat as and when it manifests,” he said.

    “Recently a joint mechanism under the Army has been set up that has proved to be effective in coordinating actions of various agencies,” he added.

  • India enhances day and night surveillance over LAC in Arunachal sector

    By PTI

    MISAMARI: India has significantly cranked up its day and night surveillance at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Arunachal Pradesh sector using a fleet of remotely piloted aircraft and other assets as part of a broad strategy to strengthen overall military preparedness to deal with any Chinese misadventure, people familiar with the developments said on Sunday.

    As tensions boiled over between the two countries following the Galwan Valley clashes last year, India ramped up its overall deployment along the nearly 3,400-km-long LAC besides speeding up infrastructure development to gain a tactical advantage.

    The people cited above said a sizeable fleet of Israeli-made Heron medium-altitude long-endurance drones is carrying out round-the-clock surveillance over the LAC in the mountainous terrain and sending crucial data and images to command and control centres.

    ALSO REA: Our leaders will routinely travel to Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other state – India tells China

    Along with the drones, the Indian Army’s aviation wing has also been deploying the Weapon System Integrated (WSI) variant of the Advanced Light Helicopter Rudra in the region, adding more teeth to its tactical missions in the region, they said.

    In an expansion of its aviation wing in the region, the Army has come out with an independent aviation brigade in the region this year to bolster its overall operational preparedness in the sensitive region, they said.

    They said though the Heron drones were first deployed in the region around four-five years back, now the integration of surveillance has been significantly enhanced under the ‘sensor to shooter’ concept to employ military forces at short notice for any possible operational objectives.

    The deployment of the WSI version of the ALH helicopters has also provided the Army an added advantage to carry out various missions in the high-altitude areas.

    ALSO READ: China objects to Vice President Venkaiah Naidu’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh

    Asked about the weapons package of the ALH helicopters, they refused to divulge the details but said it is one of the best and would be very effective against the adversary.

    “Overall, our day and night surveillance capability has seen massive upgrades since last year and we are in a much better position to deal with any eventualities in the region,” said one of the people cited above.

    The Indian Army is also procuring a fleet of Heron TP drones on lease from Israel that are capable of operating for nearly 45 hours at an altitude of up to 35,000 feet.

    The Heron TP drones are equipped with automatic taxi-takeoff and landing (ATOL) and satellite communication (SATCOM) systems for an extended range.

    ALSO READ: India, China troops face-off at Arunachal’s Tawang; PLA men detained temporarily

    They said additional roads, bridges and railway infrastructure are being built in the Arunachal sector considering their strategic requirement in the wake of evolving security dynamics in the region.

    The government is also working on connecting Tawang with a railway network as part of the decision to enhance infrastructure in the region.

    The people cited above also said that infrastructure at almost all airfields along the LAC including the Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) was enhanced as per operational requirements.

    The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

    The tension escalated following the deadly clashes in Galwan Valley on June 15 last year.

    As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in the Gogra area in August and in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in February.

    However, the last round of military talks on October 10 ended in a stalemate.

    Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive sector.

  • China’s ‘provocative behaviour’ disturbed peace in eastern Ladakh: India; rejects fresh Chinese comments on Galwan

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI/BEIJING: India on Friday strongly rejected China’s fresh comments blaming it for the Galwan valley clashes and asserted that the “provocative behaviour and unilateral” attempts by the Chinese side to alter the status quo in eastern Ladakh resulted in serious disturbance of peace and tranquillity in the mountainous region.

    Reacting to the Chinese remarks made earlier in the day, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also said Chinese actions have impacted bilateral relations.

    A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson had again claimed at a media briefing in Beijing that the Galwan valley clashes took place because India “encroached upon China’s territory” and violated all agreements.

    “We reject such statements. Our position with regard to developments last year along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh has been clear and consistent,” Bagchi said in response to a question on the fresh remarks by China.

    “It was the provocative behaviour and unilateral attempts of the Chinese side to alter status quo in contravention of all our bilateral agreements that resulted in serious disturbance of peace and tranquillity. This has also impacted the bilateral relations,” he said.

    ALSO READ: Peace in border areas important, but it is not the ‘whole story’ of bilateral ties: Chinese envoy amid Ladakh standoff

    Twenty Indian Army personnel laid down their lives in deadly clashes with the Chinese troops in Galwan Valley on June 15 last year that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.

    In February, China officially acknowledged that five Chinese military officers and soldiers were killed in the clashes with the Indian Army though it is widely believed that the death toll was higher.

    “As emphasized by the external affairs minister in his meeting with Chinese foreign minister earlier this month, it is our expectation that the Chinese side will work towards early resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in eastern Ladakh while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols,” Bagchi said.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had met in Dushanbe on the sidelines of the SCO summit last week.

    ALSO READ: Rahul Gandhi targets PM Narendra Modi over eastern Ladakh standoff

    Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that all the agreements and treaties signed between China and India on upholding the peace and stability in the area of the LAC have played an important role in upholding stability in the border areas.

    “Last year’s Galwan valley incident took place because India violated all the signed agreements and treaties and encroached upon Chinese territory and illegally crossed the line,” Zhao claimed.

    “We hope India will abide by all the signed agreements and uphold peace and stability in the border region with concrete actions,” Zhao said in reply to a question on India’s border patrol protocols.

    At the meeting with Wang on September 16, Jaishankar conveyed that the two sides should work for an early resolution of the remaining issues.

    According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the two foreign ministers agreed that the military and diplomatic officials of both sides should meet again and discuss resolving the remaining issues at the earliest.

    The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies erupted on May 5 last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

    As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in Gogra area in eastern Ladakh last month.

    In February, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in line with an agreement on disengagement.

    Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.

  • Peace in border areas important, but it is not the ‘whole story’ of bilateral ties: Chinese envoy amid Ladakh standoff

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong has said peace and tranquillity in the border areas with India is important but it is not the “whole story” of the bilateral relations and that the current status of the ties is obviously not in the fundamental interest of either side, remarks that came amid the Ladakh military standoff.

    After the standoff erupted in eastern Ladakh in May last year, India has consistently maintained that peace and tranquillity in the border areas are essential for the overall development of relations between the two countries.

    In an address at a ‘Track II Dialogue’ on China-India relations on Thursday, Sun, the Ambassador to India, said the two countries should take the path of peaceful development rather than choosing a “wrong path” of confrontation and conflict and that they should “build bridges instead of walls”.

    At present, China-India relations have come to a crossroad once again, and there is a need to make the right choice rather than undercutting each other, Sun said at the dialogue co-hosted by the School of International Studies of Sichuan University, China Center for South Asian Studies and Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

    “Ultimately, China and India should work together to take the broad road of mutual respect, dialogue, cooperation and mutual benefit, rather than the narrow log bridge of mutual confrontation, suspicion, attrition and zero-sum competition,” he added.

    “We should avoid taking a part for the whole or losing sight of the forest for the trees. For example, peace and tranquillity in the border areas is important, but it is not the whole story of the bilateral relations.”

    Without specifically referring to the Ladakh border row, the Ambassador said since last year, China-India relations witnessed difficulties “unseen for many years” and it remained at a low level.

    Sun said China and India should enhance mutual trust, strengthen dialogue and properly handle differences and not allow them to become disputes.

    He also emphasised that India and China should uphold strategic autonomy and grasp fate in their own hands, noting that some countries, with their ideological bias and ‘Cold War’ mentality, vigorously seek closed and exclusive “small cliques” with the aim of containing “a third party” and stoking “bloc confrontation” and geopolitical games.

  • ‘Chronology Samajhiye’: Rahul Gandhi targets PM Narendra Modi over eastern Ladakh standoff

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that he is “scared” of China.

    “Mr 56-inch is scared of China,” he said on Twitter, putting out a short video clip detailing the events at the border with China.

    The video, titled ‘chronology samajhiye’ (understand the chronology), is a compilation of news reports on the Sino-India military standoff that erupted in eastern Ladakh on May 5 last year.

    Mr 56” is scared of China.Mr 56” चीन से डरता है। pic.twitter.com/taRfoRzMEl
    — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 24, 2021
    The 54-second video also showed the chronology of the events in eastern Ladakh since the standoff broke out.

    Gandhi and his Congress party have been critical of Prime Minister Modi’s policy on China.

    India on Friday asserted that the “provocative behaviour and unilateral” attempts by the Chinese side to alter the status quo in eastern Ladakh resulted in serious disturbance of peace and tranquillity in the mountainous region.

    Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi rejected China’s fresh comments blaming India for the Galwan valley clashes on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel and at least five Chinese military officers and soldiers were killed.

    “Our position with regard to developments last year along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh has been clear and consistent…It was the provocative behaviour and unilateral attempts of the Chinese side to alter status quo in contravention of all our bilateral agreements that resulted in serious disturbance of peace and tranquillity. This has also impacted the bilateral relations,” Bagchi said.

  • Early completion of disengagement could pave way for de-escalation: India on eastern Ladakh

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: India on Thursday reiterated that only early completion of disengagement in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh could pave the way for both Indian and Chinese troops to consider de-escalation and ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

    At a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said such a step could enable progress in bilateral relations between the two countries.

    “I would like to reiterate that only early completion of disengagement in the remaining areas could pave the way for the two sides to consider de-escalation of forces and ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity and enable progress on overall bilateral relations,” he said.

    India and China held a virtual meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs last month as part of the dialogue process to resolve the standoff.

    In the meeting, the two sides agreed to hold the next round of military talks at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement in remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh.

    “You would recall that the 22nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on the border was held on June 25. The two sides also agreed to hold the 12th round of senior commanders meeting at an early date. We will certainly share any update once we have that,” Bagchi said.

    The 11th round of Corps Commander-level talks between the two sides on the border row was held on April 9.

    India and China were locked in a military standoff at multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh since early May last year.

    However, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February following a series of military and diplomatic talks.

    The two sides are now engaged in talks to extend the disengagement process to the remaining friction points.

    There was no visible forward movement in disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points as the Chinese side did not show flexibility in their approach on it at the 11th round of military talks.

    Last month, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said that there can be no de-escalation without complete disengagement at all friction points in eastern Ladakh and that the Indian Army is prepared for all contingencies in the region.

    Gen Naravane also said that India is dealing with China in a “firm” and “non-escalatory” manner to ensure the sanctity of its claims in eastern Ladakh and that it was even open to initiating confidence-building measures.

    India has been insisting on complete disengagement in remaining friction points to de-escalate the situation in eastern Ladakh.

  • No de-escalation without complete disengagement at all friction points: Army Chief Gen Naravane on Ladakh standoff with China

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: In a clear and unambiguous message to China, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane on Friday said there can be no de-escalation without complete disengagement at all friction points in eastern Ladakh, and that the Indian Army is prepared for all contingencies in the region.

    In an exclusive interview to PTI, Gen Naravane said India is dealing with China in a “firm” and “non-escalatory” manner to ensure the sanctity of its claims in eastern Ladakh, and that it was even open to initiating confidence-building measures.

    It has been more than a year since the military standoff between the two sides erupted in eastern Ladakh on May 5, 2020 during which there were fatalities on both sides for the first time in 45 years.

    They have made limited progress in achieving disengagement at the Pangong lake area while negotiations for similar steps at other friction points remained deadlocked.

    Gen Naravane asserted that the Indian Army is currently holding onto all important areas in the high-altitude region and it has adequate personnel in the form of “reserves” to respond to any contingencies.

    “We are very clear that no de-escalation can take place before disengagement at all friction points. India and China have signed a number of border agreements which have been unilaterally breached by the People’s Liberation Army(PLA),” he said.

    “Though we want peace and tranquillity at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and are open to initiating confidence-building measures, we remain prepared for all contingencies.”

    He also said the situation along the northern border is under control and that the coming rounds of military talks with China will focus on restoring the status quo ante of April 2020.

    “Indian Army is very clear that no loss of territory or unilateral change in status quo will be permitted. We are dealing with the Chinese in a firm and non-escalatory way, ensuring the sanctity of our claims in eastern Ladakh,” he added.

    To a question on when a resolution to the standoff can be expected in areas like Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang in eastern Ladakh, the Army Chief said it was difficult to predict the timeline.

    “The Indian Army maintains all protocols and agreements between the two countries while the PLA escalated the situation by utilisation of unorthodox weapons and amassing a large number of troops,” he said, in a reference to the Galwan Valley clashes last June.

    “Troops are currently holding all important areas and we have adequate troops in the form of ‘reserves’ to react to any contingencies,” the Army Chief added.

    India-China ties came under severe strain following the deadly clashes at the Galwan valley following which both sides rushed in thousands of additional troops as well as battle tanks and other large weapons to the region.

    “The trust levels are bound to be low when a major standoff takes place between two countries leading to casualties on both sides. However, it is always our endeavour that this trust deficit should not hinder the negotiation process,” Gen Naravane said.

    “As two professional armies, it is imperative that we resolve the situation and make progress to restore trust at the earliest.”

    Asked about the possibility of any escalation of tension in the region, Gen Naravane said there has been no infringement by the Chinese side following the agreement on the disengagement in the Pangong lake area and that chances of any untoward incident is low.

    He also said the strength of troops on both sides at present are more or less what it was last year and that the Indian Army was aware of what is happening in the region, adding “you cannot be complacent”.

    The Chief of Army Staff said the training areas of the PLA located in depth areas at a distance of around 1,000 km from the LAC are also being looked at.

    Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive sector.

    Gen Naravane said the process for the next round of military talks was underway.

    At the same time, he added, “we should not expect result from every round of talks.”

    Asked about China building villages near the LAC in the Arunachal Pradesh sector as well along its border with Bhutan, Gen Naravane said it is possibly part of a plan to have more population in the areas along with infrastructure development.

    “They (China) are building the villages on their side. Additional infrastructure is also being developed to cater to the increasing population,” he said.

    He said India has also been developing infrastructure along the LAC that included habitat, water supply and electrification.

    Nine months after the military standoff at multiple friction points, both sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of the Pangong lake in February as part of an agreement reached following a series of military and diplomatic talks.

    The two sides have held 11 rounds of military talks with an aim to ensure disengagement and de-escalation at the friction points.

    Both the militaries are now engaged in talks to extend the disengagement process to the remaining friction points.

    There was no visible forward movement in disengagement of troops at the remaining friction points as the Chinese side did not show flexibility in their approach at the last round of talks on April 9.

    The Chinese military is currently conducting a drill at its training areas near the Ladakh region.

  • Legacy issues need to be resolved through dialogue: Army Chief Gen MM Naravane on China standoff

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: In a veiled reference to the border standoff with China, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane on Monday said legacy issues and differences need to be resolved through mutual consent and dialogue, and not by unilateral actions.

    In his address at a symposium, Gen MM Naravane, however, noted that there were positive developments with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that led to disengagement of troops in Pangong lake areas in eastern Ladakh.

    The Army Chief also said that the recent comments of Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong “to avoid relapse and jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in border areas” augurs well for the future of India-China relations.

    Talking about regional developments, he referred to the renewed commitment by the armies of India and Pakistan to follow the 2003 ceasefire on the Line of Control(LoC), saying it bodes well for the future.

    “We have recently entered into a ceasefire understanding with Pakistan Army in February this year, and since then there has been no exchange of fire on an otherwise active LoC. This bodes well for the future,” he said.

    “With China too, there have been positive developments along the LAC, an area where both countries have differing perceptions on the alignment of the land borders. This has led to disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh,” he added.

    Gen Naravane also mentioned about the 11th round of Corps commander-level talks between the armies of India and China, and hoped to “settle other border” issues through further negotiations. The military standoff between India and China that erupted on May 5 last at multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh has significantly strained bilateral ties.

    As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, India and China completed withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February.

    The two sides are now engaged in talks to extend the disengagement process to the remaining friction points. “Legacy issues and differences need to be resolved through mutual consent and dialogue and not by unilateral actions,” he said.

    Talking about new challenges being thrown up by the changing character of war, he said “our own region” is also witnessing that wars are no longer confined to the customary hard core kinetics but being increasingly contested in the ambiguous grey zone.”

    “However, even as we move to a technology empowered Army, the peculiar unsettled nature of our borders means that the requirement of ‘boots on ground’ cannot be simply wished away,” he added.

    Gen Naravane reiterated that India looked to maintain peace and harmony with all its neighbours and in the region. “Maintenance of peace and tranquillity requires joint efforts. All nations need to come together to uphold rules-based order, respect international laws and norms and develop mutual respect for each other,” he said.

    The Army Chief also said that geo-strategic spaces are being “constricted” and geo-strategic realities are being “altered” without physical battles, noting conflicts are steadily moving to the new domains of space, cyber and informatics.

    “We are conscious that niche technologies including artificial intelligence, autonomous and unmanned systems, long range precision technology, internet of things, 5G and quantum computing, to name a few, need to be acquired  to remain and capable to face future threats,” he said.

    About the coronavirus pandemic, he said the Army is devising ways and means to work through the challenging times and get its training schedules back on track. “The disruptive powers of the pandemic have, however, changed the way we think and act. It has also exposed our vulnerability to global supply chains, forcing us to re-engineer our dependencies  and work towards self-reliance,” he added.

  • India, China have agreed to establish hotline between foreign ministers: S Jaishankar

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI/BEIJING: India has told China that disengagement at all friction points is necessary to contemplate de-escalation of troops in eastern Ladakh even as the foreign ministers of the two countries agreed to establish a hotline for “timely” communication and exchange of views.

    In the first high level contact after the two countries agreed early this month to disengage from the Pangong Tso area in eastern Ladakh, External Affairs minister S Jaishankar told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during a telephonic conversation on Thursday that peace and tranquillity on the border is essential for development of bilateral relations.

    The armies of the two sides last week concluded withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of the Pangong lake.

    Releasing details of the 75-minute conversation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Friday that China was told that bilateral relations have been impacted severely over last year.

    The tense military standoff in eastern Ladakh erupted on May 5 last. The two leaders discussed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and issues related to overall India-China relations.

    “EAM said that Boundary Question may take time to resolve but disturbance of peace and tranquillity, including by violence, will inevitably have a damaging impact on the relationship,” the MEA said.

    “The two ministers agreed to remain in touch and establish a hotline. A prolongation of the existing situation was not in the interest of either side. It was, therefore, necessary that the two sides should work towards early resolution of remaining issues. It was necessary to disengage at all friction points in order to contemplate de-escalation of forces in this sector. That alone will lead to the restoration of peace and tranquillity and provide conditions for progress of our bilateral relationship,” the MEA statement said.

    According to a late-night press release issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing on Thursday, the two foreign ministers agreed to set up a hotline for “timely communication and exchange of views”.

    Wang said that China and India should firmly follow the right path of mutual trust and cooperation between neighbouring major countries, and not go astray with suspicion and distrust nor fall back on a road of “negative retrogression”.

    Wang, also a State Councilor, noted that the two countries need to properly handle the border issue so as to prevent the bilateral ties from being trapped into a “vicious cycle” because of it.

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    When asked for an update on disengagement of troops in other areas after the withdrawal of soldiers by both sides from the Pangong lake area, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing on Friday that the situation on the ground has significantly eased.

    “Recently frontline troops of both sides completed disengagement in the Pangong Lake area and the situation on the ground has significantly eased. The two sides should cherish this hard-won momentum and consolidate existing outcomes, maintain the momentum for consultations, further ease the situation, improve border management and control mechanism, advance negotiation on the boundary issue to accumulate mutual trust and safeguard peace and tranquillity along the border,” he said.

    Asked when the two countries would set up a hotline for the foreign ministers, the spokesman said the two sides will remain in communication on the matter.

    The MEA statement said Jaishankar also referred to his meeting with Wang Yi in September 2020 in Moscow where the Indian side had expressed its concern on provocative behaviour and unilateral attempts of the Chinese side to alter the status quo at the LAC.

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    Jaishankar said they had agreed that the situation in the border areas was not in the interest of either side and decided that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage and ease tensions.

    The EAM noted that the two sides had maintained continuous communication since then through both diplomatic and military channels. This had led to progress as both sides had successfully disengaged in the Pangong lake area earlier this month.

    Noting the completion of disengagement in the Pangong lake area, the EAM emphasized that both sides should now quickly resolve the remaining issues along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

    At the 10th round of the senior commanders’ meeting least week, India is learnt to have insisted on a faster disengagement process in areas such as Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang to defuse tension in the region.

    Jaishankar told Wang that once disengagement is completed at all friction points, then the two sides could also look at broader de-escalation of troops in the area and work towards restoration of peace and tranquillity.

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    Wang, on his part, expressed satisfaction at the progress made so far and said it was an important step forward for restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas, according to the MEA statement.

    Wang also spoke about the need to improve management and control in the border areas, while Jaishankar highlighted that both sides had always agreed that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas was essential basis for development of bilateral relations.

    Wang also noted that the Indian side had proposed “three mutuals” — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests — as the approach to the relationship. He also agreed on the importance of taking the long view of ties between the two neighbours.

    According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry release, Wang also said border disputes are an “objective reality” and need to be attached adequate attention and taken seriously. He said that the border issue is not the whole story of China-India relations, and should be placed in a proper position in their relationship. “Wang said that the rights and wrongs of last year’s situation in China-India border areas are very clear, and profound lessons should be drawn from the past,” the Chinese foreign ministry statement said.

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    The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies erupted on May 5 last year following a violent clash in the Pangong Lake area and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

    Subsequently, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a fierce hand-to-hand combat on June 15 in Galwan Valley, an incident that marked the most serious military conflicts between the two sides in over four decades. Eight months after the confrontation, China admitted that its four soldiers were killed in the fight.