News Analysis India

Tag: India-China standoff

  • 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 not agreeable to resolve remaining areas along LAC, no results in 13th round talks: Indian Army

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Chinese Army has not agreed to the constructive suggestions given by the Indian Army to resolve the remaining friction points or areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and that is why the 13th round of talks concluded without any results, the Indian Army said in a statement on Monday.

    During the meeting, the Indian side made constructive suggestions for resolving the remaining areas but the Chinese side was not agreeable and also could not provide any forward-looking proposals.

    “The meeting thus did not result in resolution of the remaining areas,” the Army said, in its statement on the 13th round of corps commander level talks held in Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC on Sunday.

    The Army said that during the meeting, the discussions between the two sides focussed on the resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.

    The 13th Corps Commanders meeting “did not result in resolution of the remaining areas” as “Chinese side was not agreeable & also could not provide any forward-looking proposals to “constructive suggestions for resolving the remaining areas”.#Ladakh@NewIndianXpress
    — Mayank

  • India, China fail to break the ice over the standoff in Eastern Ladakh

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: India and China failed to break the ice over the standoff in the remaining areas of the Eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). While India pointed to Chinese disagreement to its “constructive suggestions” for resolution, the Chinese side blamed India for “persisting in its unreasonable and unrealistic demands.”

    The Chinese Senior Colonel Long Shaohua, spokesperson for the Western Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), on Monday said “(T)he Chinese side made great efforts to promote easing and cooling of the border situation and fully demonstrated China’s sincerity of maintaining overall interests of bilateral military relations. However, the Indian side still persisted in its unreasonable and unrealistic demands, which added difficulties to the negotiations.”

    Responding to the Chinese statement the Indian Army said, “The Indian side pointed out that the situation along the LAC had been caused by unilateral attempts of the Chinese side to alter the status quo and in violation of the bilateral agreements. It was, therefore, necessary that the Chinese side take appropriate steps in the remaining areas so as to restore peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the Western Sector.”

    “During the meeting, the Indian side, therefore, made constructive suggestions for resolving the remaining areas but the Chinese side was not agreeable and also could not provide any forward-looking proposals. The meeting thus did not result in resolution of the remaining areas,” said Indian Army. 

    The 13th India-China Corps Commanders meet was held on October 10 at the Moldo-Chushul border meeting point on the Chinese side. During the meeting, the discussions between the two sides focussed on the resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.

    As per the Ministry, the two sides have agreed to maintain communications and also to maintain stability on the ground. “It is our expectation that the Chinese side will take into account the overall perspective of bilateral relations and will work towards early resolution of the remaining issues while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols,” Army said.

    There are around 60,000 troops each from the Indian Army and the Chinese PLA deployed near the LAC in Eastern Ladakh with tense standoffs at Hot Spring, Depsang, and Demchok. There were standoffs also at Galwan, Gogra, and the North and South banks of the Pangong Lake and the troops have mutually disengaged after the resolutions achieved during a series of 12 previous Corps Commanders’ talks. 

  • India and China discuss LAC disengagement

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  The Corps Commanders of India and China met at Moldo Garrison on Sunday to discuss disengagement of troops from the standoff points in Eastern Ladakh. Sources said the meeting started at 10.30 am and got over at around 7 pm. The Indian delegation was led by Lt Gen PGK Menon.

    India has been pushing for disengagement from HotSpring, Depsang and Demchok which have been in standoff mode since long. There are around 60,000 soldiers on each side of the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh. Both sides have also positioned tanks, artillery, missiles and heavy vehicles.

    There are indications of prolonged deployment in the area. Indian Army chief MM Naravane said on Saturday that China is sprucing up infrastructure and appears determined to stay for long.

    “It is a concern that there is a large scale build-up taking place….There has been infrastructural build-up by the Chinese side and that means they are there to stay…If they are there to stay, we are there to stay too,” Naravane had said. India has been keeping a close watch on all the activities of the PLA, he added.

  • China’s continuous build-up matter of concern: Army Chief Staff Gen MM Naravane

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The military build-up by China in the eastern Ladakh region and new infrastructure development to sustain the large-scale deployment are matters of concern and India has been keeping a close watch on all the activities by the Chinese PLA, Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane said on Saturday.

    He said if the Chinese military maintains the deployment through the second winter, it may lead to an LoC-like situation (Line of Control) though not an active LoC as is there on the western front with Pakistan The Chief of Army Staff said if the Chinese military continues with its deployment, the Indian Army too will maintain its presence on its side which is “as good as what the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) has done”.

    Indian and Chinese militaries have been on a standoff in several areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh for nearly 17 months though both sides disengaged from a number of friction points this year following a series of talks.

    “Yes, it is a matter of concern that the large-scale build-up has occurred and continues to be in place, and to sustain that kind of a build-up, there has been an equal amount of infrastructure development on the Chinese side,” Gen Naravane said at the Indian Today conclave.

    “So, it means that they (PLA) are there to stay. We are keeping a close watch on all these developments, but if they are there to stay, we are there to stay too,” he said. Gen Naravane said the build-up and the infrastructure development on the Indian side are as good as what PLA has done.

    “But what this would, especially if they continue to stay there through the second winter, definitely mean that we will be in a kind of LC (Line of Control) situation though not an active LC as is there on the western front. But definitely, we will have to keep a close eye on all the troop build-up and deployments to see that they do not get into any misadventure once again,” he said.

    To a question, Gen Naravane said it is difficult to understand why China triggered the standoff when the world was reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic and when that country had certain issues on its eastern seaboard.

    “While all that is going on, to sort of open up one more front is very difficult to understand or fathom. But whatever it might have been, I do not think they have been able to achieve any of those because of the rapid response done by the Indian armed forces,” he said.

    Asked to comment on the overall situation in eastern Ladakh, Gen Naravane referred to a recent statement by a spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs and said he had clearly mentioned that whatever has happened on the Northern border is because of the massive build-up by the Chinese side and the non-adherence to various protocols. “So that is very clear as to what was the trigger for all that which has happened,” Gen Naravane said.

    The Army Chief said following the standoff in eastern Ladakh, Indian Army realised that it needs to do more in the area of ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance). “So that has been the thurst of our modernisation over the last one year. Similarly, other weapons and equipment that we thought we need for future, those have got our attention also,” he said.

    The border standoff between the Indian and the Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 last year in eastern Ladakh following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area. 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. 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 LAC in the sensitive sector.

  • Increased Chinese deployment across border matter of concern: Indian Army chief

    By ANI

    LEH: Expressing hope that the pending issues between India and China along the Line of Actual Control would be resolved soon, Army chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane said the increase in the deployment by Chinese troops across the border was a matter of concern.

    He said India had made matching deployments in terms of troops and infrastructure in its areas along the LAC and there was no way anyone would be able to behave in an aggressive manner again.

    Speaking to ANI, Gen Naravane, who is in Ladakh for his two-day visit, said, “The situation at friction points has been normal for the past six months. The talks have been going on. We had the 12th round of talks last month, and also hopeful of having the 13th round of talks, maybe by the second week of October.”

    He added, “When the talks had started, people were doubtful whether talks would resolve anything, but I am of the firm opinion that we can resolve our differences with dialogue and that is what has happened in the past few months.”

    The army chief said, “The Chinese have deployed (their forces) in considerable numbers across Eastern Ladakh and up to eastern command. There has been an increase in the deployment and it is a matter of concern for us. We are also carrying out matching developments in terms of infrastructure and deployment of troops. We are quite poised in order to meet any eventuality.”

  • Border incidents with China will continue till agreement is reached: Army chief General MM Naravane

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Border incidents between India and China will continue to occur till a boundary agreement is reached between the two countries, Army Chief General MM Naravane said on Thursday.

    Recent developments in Afghanistan “have definitely been the focus” of the Indian Army that continues to evaluate threat perceptions and formulate strategies accordingly, the Army chief added while addressing a gathering at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

    Discussing China during the annual session meeting of the industry body, he said, “…we have an outstanding border issue. We are again well prepared to meet any misadventure that may occur as we have demonstrated in the past. Such kinds of incidents will continue to occur till such time that a long-term solution is reached, and that is to have a boundary agreement. And that should be the thrust of our efforts so that we have lasting peace along the northern (China) border.”

    Referring to Afghanistan, he said the Indian Army “or the armed forces for that matter continue to carry out periodic evaluation of threat perceptions”. He noted that based on those evaluations, the Indian Army formulates strategies and doctrines that are needed to meet future threats. “This is a continuous process that never stops,” he added. Kabul fell to the Taliban on August 15.

    Expressing its concerns about the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, India had on September 20 had said the country’s territory should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing terrorist acts.

    Naravane said that as far as the terrorist threat is concerned, the Indian Army is ready to meet all challenges. “We have a very dynamic counterinsurgency and counterterrorist grid in Jammu and Kashmir. It is a dynamic grid and it is based on threat perception and the escalating levels of attempts by our western neighbour (Pakistan) to push in more and more terrorists,” he said.

    Based on ups and downs, we also recalibrate our levels of operations, he added. The current border standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies erupted in May last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.

    Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. The row escalated after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15 last year. Twenty Indian Army personnel laid down their lives in the clashes that marked the most serious military conflicts between the two sides in decades.

    In February 2021, 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 a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in Gogra area 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 LAC (Line of Actual Control) in the sensitive sector.

    In 2017, Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long LAC.

    China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it.

  • LAC standoff: Indian Army plans to put more artillery guns in response to Chinese build-up

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: With the onset of India-China standoff in May 2020, the Indian Army pushed for its Artillery Gun deployments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It was the fast pace of road construction by the Border roads Organisation (BRO) which helped these guns reach those designated points.

    Speaking to media on the eve of the 195th Gunners Day Lt Gen TK Chawla, Director General Artillery said that guns have been deployed well but the access to other critical areas continues to be a problem and more guns will be deployed.

    “Border Roads is doing a lot of effort to build the network in far flung areas. I think this effort will continue and we can get guns in more areas.” he added.

    Gunners Day is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the raising of the oldest Indian Mountain Battery (5th Bombay Mountain Battery).

    Till now three regiments of the Ultra Light Howitzers have been raised and the process for the fourth regiment has begun. Keeping the mobility “majority of these guns have been deployed along the Line of Actual Control,” informed Lt Gen Chawla.

    The M777 Howitzer is a 155mm 39 calibre towed gun, highly portable guns and can be easily shifted by the recently inducted Chinook helicopters.

    Adding on the firepower, DG Artillery informed he himself reviewed the status in Eastern Ladakh.

    “The 105mm guns are still very much robust with a very high angle of firing which is very essential in the mountains.” he said.  As and when the other guns move in enough numbers they will be replacing the 105mm guns, the DG added.

    Talking about the induction of indigenous artillery systems, the DG informed that while some projects have fructified some others are facing challenges for which the Indian Army is doing hand holding.

    “A lot of handholding has been done by the Army, both for Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) and Dhanush. I had a detailed discussion last week with the OFB (Ordnance Factory Board) and ARDE (Armament Research and Development Establishment of DRDO),” said Lt Gen Chawala.

    The project of the K9 Vajra howitzers, manufactured by L&T in collaboration with a South Korean firm, has been completed. Also, US manufactured M-777, assembled by India’s Mahindra Defence, the Director General Artillery is getting delivered with some hiccups arising only due to the Covid Pandemic.

    DRDO has been given inputs wherever qualitative changes are required. DRDO is developing the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) and Dhanush Gun Systems.

    Indian Army is going ahead as per its Field Artillery Rationalisation Programme (FARP) approved in 1999. As per the plan a mix of around 3,000-3,600 howitzers were to be procured by 2025-27. But the plan is facing challenges due to tow of its indigenous programmes.

  • 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.