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Tag: India-China standoff

  • 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.

  • Government must explain why disengagement talks with China have ‘not yielded results’: Congress

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday asked the government to explain why disengagement talks with China have “not yielded results” in other friction points in eastern Ladakh.

    Citing media reports that China has refused to pull back its troops from Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang, Congress senior spokesperson Ajay Maken asked the government to come clean on the issue. “Why has the disengagement talks as promised by the Defence Minister on remaining friction points’not yielded any results for India,” he said.

    He asked if the government’s decision to “withdraw troops from PP-14 in Galwan Valley and subsequent creation of buffer territory” in that area has landed India in a disadvantageous position. “The country is seeking answers as to when will the Modi Government take action to restore ‘status quo ante’ as on April 2020, specially in Galwan Valley, PangongTso Lake, Depsang Plains, Gogra and Hot Springs,” he said.

    “After the failure of the military talks with China and compromising our territorial integrity, what plan does the Modi Government have to take back our territory from China? PM Modi must answer,” he said in a statement.

    There was no visible forward movement at the latest round of military talks between the two countries early this month.

    The Indian Army had said in a statement that both sides held a detailed deliberation on the disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points of Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang in eastern Ladakh and agreed to jointly maintain stability on the ground, avoid any new incidents and resolve the outstanding issues in an “expeditious manner”.

  • Encouraged by disengagement efforts by India, China: Russia on eastern Ladakh

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Russia on Wednesday said it was following developments at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, and is encouraged by India and China focusing on “disengagement efforts” and to promote constructive dialogue.

    Deputy Chief of the Russian mission Roman Babushkin said Russia encourages both sides to take opportunities in advancing their ties at common multilateral platforms like the BRICS, SCO and RIC trilateral grouping.

    “We are following developments at the LAC. We are encouraged by India and China to consider disengagement efforts in order to promote constructive and forward-looking dialogue which is a very important precondition for regional stability,” he said at a media briefing.

    Both India and China are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Russia-India-China (RIC) grouping and BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa).

    Russian Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev did not give a direct reply when asked whether China’s belligerence in eastern Ladakh and elsewhere figured in the recent talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

    He said the talks were focused on bilateral issues and preparations for the annual India-Russia summit in the second half of the year.

    The talks were focused on an “unifying agenda”, be it bilateral ties as well as multilateral cooperation.

    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 in line with an agreement on disengagement.

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

    Last week, India and Chinese militaries held their 11th round of talks during which they agreed to jointly maintain stability on the ground, avoid any new incidents and resolve the outstanding issues in an “expeditious manner”.

  • Ladakh standoff: 11th Corps Commanders meet in Chushul on Friday

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: As the latest meeting between the Corps Commanders of India and China is fixed for Friday, the forces hope for a positive outcome.

    Indian Army’s 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen PGK Menon is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Major General Lin Liu, Commander of South Xinjian Military District, on Friday in Chushul which is on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control.  

    Meanwhile, China on Thursday said that India’s proposal of restoring status quo ante of April 2020 in Eastern Ladakh may come up for discussion when the representatives of the two countries meet in the future. “There may be discussions on India’s proposal of restoring status quo ante of April 2020 in future meetings. As for the specific date for the upcoming talks, I have no information,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said. READ HERE | China says India’s proposal of restoring status quo of April 2020 in eastern Ladakh could be discussed

    Zhao also denied that there has been any delay in holding talks to discuss disengagement from remaining friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).  “There is no delayed meeting as you cited. I want to stress that the merits of the situation at the India-China border are very clear and the responsibility does not rest with the Chinese side,” he said. Meanwhile, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India would like disengagement in remaining areas of friction. “This will provide us the atmosphere of improving bilateral ties,” he said.

    The previous talk was held on 19 February at Moldo, the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control, but there was no outcome. It was held immediately after the disengagement. The disengagement was completed on the North and South banks of Pangong Tso as an agreement was reached between India and China as per which Chinese troops relocated to the east of Finger 8 and the Indian Army troops based at Dhan Singh Thapa post close to Finger 4 on the north bank of the lake. It was confirmed that both sides had moved back their armoured vehicles which were as close as 50 metres from each other at some places. Also, the two sides brought down the fortifications and defences made during the stand-off. Also, artillery guns and structures were brought down from the North Bank of the Pangong Tso. The major announcement of an agreement on a “phased, coordinated and verified manner” disengagement of the forces from standoff position at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh came on February 11 as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced the development in the Rajya Sabha. Indian and Chinese military began disengagement at Pangong on February 10. As announced, it was to restore the situation that was before the commencement of the standoff last year, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had informed the Rajya House.

    “It has also been agreed to have a temporary moratorium on military activities by both sides in the North Bank, including patrolling to the traditional areas. Patrolling will be resumed only when both sides reach an agreement in diplomatic and military talks that would be held subsequently,” the Defence Minister had said The standoff remains at Depsang, Gogra, Hotspring, and in the Charding Ninglung Nallah (CNN) track junction in the Demchok sector. “The stress remains to sort out things in Depsang, Gogra and Hot Spring.” told the Army officer quoted earlier. The standoff in the Eastern Ladakh started in the first week of May month last year from Finger 4 as the Chinese and Indian troops had clashed. Subsequently, it had spread to several standoff points along the LAC in the North and South banks of the Pangong Tso.

  • LAC standoff discussed at Quad meet

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh along the LAC came up for discussion with other regional and global issues during the Quad leaders meeting on Friday.“The LAC standoff in Eastern Ladakh was discussed during the Quad Leadership Summit and members had sympathetic views,” sources said. 

    The Quad, comprising India, Australia, Japan and the US, has been perceived to be a grouping form to keep in check China’s aggressiveness and actions in the Indo-Pacific region, especially in the South China Sea. However, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the Quad was formed to help make positive progress.

     “Together, we commit to promoting a free, open rules-based order, rooted in international law to advance security and prosperity and counter threats to both in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. We support the rule of law, freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of disputes, democratic values, and territorial integrity. We commit to working together and with a range of partners.

    We reaffirm our strong support for ASEAN’s unity and centrality as well as the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. Full of potential, the Quad looks forward to the future; it seeks to uphold peace and prosperity and strengthen democratic resilience, based on universal values,” a joint statement released after the meet stated.

    Reacting to the meeting, China said: “We hope that relevant countries uphold the principles of openness, inclusiveness and win-win results and refrain from pursuing exclusive blocs and do things that are conducive to regional peace, stability and prosperity.  

    “Exchanges and cooperation between nations should contribute to the mutual understanding and trust among nations, rather than targeting a third party or damaging the interest of a third party,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.

  • We expect China to work towards disengagement in remaining areas: India on Ladakh standoff

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: India on Friday said it expects China to work with it through existing bilateral consultation mechanisms between their diplomats and military commanders to ensure early completion of the disengagement process in the remaining areas in eastern Ladakh to allow both sides to consider de-escalation of forces.

    The statement comes days after the armies of the two countries concluded withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of the Pangong lake.

    At a weekly media briefing here, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a detailed discussion with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, last week and agreed to set up a hotline, details of which would be worked out through diplomatic channels.

    “It is our expectation that the Chinese side will work with us both through the WMCC (Working Mechanism for Consultation and Cooperation on India-China border issues) and the senior commanders’ meetings to ensure that disengagement in the remaining areas is completed at the earliest,” Srivastava said.

    “This would allow both sides to consider de-escalation of forces in eastern Ladakh as that alone will lead to the restoration of peace and tranquillity and provide conditions for the progress in our bilateral relationship,” he added.

    During his telephonic discussion, Jaishankar had emphasised that both sides must quickly resolve the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

    At the 10th round of the senior commanders’ meeting last month, 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 had 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 the restoration of peace and tranquillity.

    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.

  • China mobilised conventional and cyber forces to threaten India: Rahul Gandhi

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that China had mobilised its conventional and cyber forces to threaten India and warned that the government’s “cowardice” would have tragic consequences in the future.

    He cited a news report that claimed that night satellite images show Chinese build-up in the Depsang region near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.

    “China mobilized its conventional and cyber forces to threaten India. The government of India (GOI) buckled. Mark my words, our land in Depsang is gone and DBO (Daulet Beg Oldie) is vulnerable. Government of India’s (GOI’s) cowardice will lead to tragic consequences in the future,”  he said on Twitter.

    A border standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies has been on in Eastern Ladakh since May last year after a violent clash in the Pangong Tso Lake area, and both sides had gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

    Last month, the armies of the two countries concluded the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of Pangong Tso.

    Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly criticising the government’s handling of the issue.

  • ‘China knows our PM is scared’: Rahul attacks Modi over Sino-India standoff

    By PTI
    TUTICORIN: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Sino-India border standoff, charging him with being ‘scared’ of the eastern neighbour.

    Before the stand-off at eastern Ladakh, where the disengagement process has been completed with the withdrawal of troops, weapons and other military hardware from the North and South banks of Pangong lake areas, the Chinese “tested the idea in Dokhlam (in 2017),” he said.

    “Essentially the Chinese occupied certain strategic areas in our country. They first tested the idea in Dokhlam. They tested the idea to see how would India react and they noticed India did not react. And then they carried out the idea again in Ladakh and also I believe in Arunachal Pradesh,” he said.

    Launching his three-day tour of Tamil Nadu ahead of the April 6 Assembly polls, the Congress leader, while interacting with advocates here, reiterated his “hum do hamare do” jibe at the ruling dispensation at the Centre.

    Speaking in detail over the border standoff, Gandhi said Modi’s first reaction to the Chinese incursions was “that nobody has come into India.

    ” “That indicated to the Chinese that the Prime Minister of India is scared of them. That is the message he indicated to the Chinese, that he is scared of them and the Chinese understood it. And since then the Chinese have negotiated on that principle,” he said.

    “They know that the Prime Minister of India cannot stand up to them. Mark my words, our land in Depsang, which is the most important land, is not going to come back to under this government. The Prime Minister will not get that land back. He will pretend everything is sorted out, but India is going to lose that territory,” he charged.

    Giving such a message to the Chinese was “very dangerous to the future because the Chinese are not going to stop with Ladakh,” he alleged.

    He said the government under the Congress “always dealt with the Chinese without any hesitation.”

    “The Chinese understood very well that India cannot be pushed around. Even in 2013 when the Chinese entered into India, we took action that forced them, forced them to compromise, we went and occupied other spaces,” he said.

    “They have now understood the Prime Minister doesn’t have the courage. The Chinese know the Prime Minister is going to compromise,” 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.

    ALSO READ: Disengagement win-win situation for India and China: Army chief Gen MM Naravane

    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.

    ALSO READ: Accepting casualties in Galwan Valley clash, China blames India for face-off in June 2020

    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.

    READ EDITORIAL: China’s curious admission of Galwan casualties

    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.

    ALSO READ: Uphill task for India in other Ladakh sectors

    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.

  • Pullback win-win, China’s creeping forward playbook won’t work: General MM Naravane

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Army Chief General MM Naravane on Wednesday said China’s known strategy of nibbling into neighbouring territory slowly, like it did in the South China Sea, will not work with India.

    “I think more than anything else what we have achieved is to show that this strategy will not work with us,” the General said referring to the recent reciprocal disengagement at Pangong lake in Ladakh after a standoff that lasted more than nine months.

    He was giving a talk on the “Role of the Indian Army in dealing with the contemporary national security challenges” at a Delhi-based think tank, Vivekananda International Foundation.

    “China has been in the habit of creeping forward making very small incremental changes where in each change by itself was not very big or worthy of a very strong reaction.”

    And because of the very small incremental moves that were never contested, it has been able to achieve its aims without firing a shot or any loss of life, he pointed out. General Naravane described the Pangong disengagement as a win-win for both sides, adding it was achieved as all the organs of the government worked in tandem.

    “As a result of this whole approach, disengagement has taken place. I think it is a very good end result. It is a win-win situation, and I think for any agreement to last both sides should feel that they have achieved something,” he said, adding it’s the outcome of 10 rounds of military-level talks.

    Strategies in place to deal with pending issues

    Army Chief General Naravane spoke about the existing trust deficit, which makes India wary of China’s intentions.

    ​“Going forward there are…pending issues in the areas of Eastern Ladakh (like Depsang, Gogra, Hotspring, Demchok); also pending issues in other areas along the Line of Control. But we have our strategies in place for that,” he said