News Analysis India

Tag: Indo-China border

  • Army aims to restore patrolling rights at Despang during Sino-India disengagement talks

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Army has put its foot down over the restoration of patrolling rights as the talks between India and China are underway for troop disengagement in eastern Ladakh both at the diplomatic and military levels.

    Sources said on Tuesday that the Indian stance on the standoff points has remained consistent, i.e. restoration of status quo ante as on April 2020. “This entails the restoration of patrolling rights to the traditional patrolling points,” said multiple sources.

    The 18th round of Senior Highest Military Commander Level (SHMCL) talks were conducted at the Chushul-Moldo meeting point, on the Chinese side, on April 23 this year.

    The “friction” caused by the standoff between the ground forces of the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) remains at two friction points — Depsang and Demchok.

    The technical term for the corps commander talks is interactions at the Senior Highest Military Commander Level (SHMCL). Talks at the SHMCL levels took place for the first time on June 6, 2020.

    The Indian side emphasized that the process of disengagement from Galwan, Gogra, Hotsprings and the north and south banks of Pangong Tso does not change India’s claim over the alignment of the LAC.

    “All disengagements carried out earlier also have been done on the basis of mutual security with no prejudice to LAC claims by either side,” said a source.

    But the standoff at Depsang is of much significance where the Chinese troops have blocked access to five patrolling points — 10, 11, 11A, 12, and 13. The area out of access, as per the sources, is around 952 sq km.

    The five patrolling points, which are located east of the strategic Sub-Sector North road, are close to the LAC, but not located right at the LAC but are located inside the line that marks the Indian territory.

    The Sub-Sector North, of which Depsang is a part, is strategically most important. The terrain is such that a large-scale armour operation is possible. China has multiple roads feeding this area while India has only the DSDBO Road.

    Depsang is also a link to Siachen and the Daulat beg Oldie (DBO) Airfield. The crucial Y Junction is about 20 km from the DBO. The Patrolling points are identified and marked on the LAC where regular patrolling is done to assert the claim about the LAC.

    Tension prevails along the LAC in eastern Ladakh with more than 50, 000 soldiers from each side amassed with heavy equipment like missiles, artillery, and tanks with air power being kept ready. 

    NEW DELHI: The Indian Army has put its foot down over the restoration of patrolling rights as the talks between India and China are underway for troop disengagement in eastern Ladakh both at the diplomatic and military levels.

    Sources said on Tuesday that the Indian stance on the standoff points has remained consistent, i.e. restoration of status quo ante as on April 2020. “This entails the restoration of patrolling rights to the traditional patrolling points,” said multiple sources.

    The 18th round of Senior Highest Military Commander Level (SHMCL) talks were conducted at the Chushul-Moldo meeting point, on the Chinese side, on April 23 this year.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The “friction” caused by the standoff between the ground forces of the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) remains at two friction points — Depsang and Demchok.

    The technical term for the corps commander talks is interactions at the Senior Highest Military Commander Level (SHMCL). Talks at the SHMCL levels took place for the first time on June 6, 2020.

    The Indian side emphasized that the process of disengagement from Galwan, Gogra, Hotsprings and the north and south banks of Pangong Tso does not change India’s claim over the alignment of the LAC.

    “All disengagements carried out earlier also have been done on the basis of mutual security with no prejudice to LAC claims by either side,” said a source.

    But the standoff at Depsang is of much significance where the Chinese troops have blocked access to five patrolling points — 10, 11, 11A, 12, and 13. The area out of access, as per the sources, is around 952 sq km.

    The five patrolling points, which are located east of the strategic Sub-Sector North road, are close to the LAC, but not located right at the LAC but are located inside the line that marks the Indian territory.

    The Sub-Sector North, of which Depsang is a part, is strategically most important. The terrain is such that a large-scale armour operation is possible. China has multiple roads feeding this area while India has only the DSDBO Road.

    Depsang is also a link to Siachen and the Daulat beg Oldie (DBO) Airfield. The crucial Y Junction is about 20 km from the DBO. The Patrolling points are identified and marked on the LAC where regular patrolling is done to assert the claim about the LAC.

    Tension prevails along the LAC in eastern Ladakh with more than 50, 000 soldiers from each side amassed with heavy equipment like missiles, artillery, and tanks with air power being kept ready. 

  • After India objects to China renaming places in Arunachal, Beijing claims ‘sovereignty’ over region

    By ANI

    BEIJING: After India outrightly rejected China’s attempt to rename places of Arunachal Pradesh, Beijing on Tuesday claimed its “sovereignty” over the region.

    In a regular press conference, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, “Zangnan (Arunachal Pradesh) is part of China’s territory. In accordance with relevant stipulations of the administration of geographical names of the State Council, competent authorities of the Chinese government have standardised the names of some parts of Zangnan. This is within China’s sovereign rights.”

    Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Tuesday asserted that Arunachal Pradesh will always be an integral part of India.

    Bagchi issued the statement after China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs came up with the names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it referred to as “Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet.”

    In response to media queries regarding China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, Arindam Bagchi in a statement said, “We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright.”

    He further said, “Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality.”

    Meanwhile, the United States “strongly opposed” China’s attempts to advance a claim over Indian territory, Arunachal Pradesh by renaming localities, the White House said on Tuesday.

    “This is another attempt by the Chinese claim on us, Indian territory. So the United States, as you know, has recognised that territory for a long time and we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance a territory claim by renaming localities. And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by a few things,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

    ALSO READ | Modi’s ‘eloquent silence’ behind China renaming places in Arunachal: Congress

    China released names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh in Chinese characters, Tibetan and pinyin according to the rules on geographical names issued by the State Council, China’s cabinet, Global Times reported.

    The ministry announced the names of 11 places on Sunday and also gave precise coordinates, including two residential areas, five mountain peaks, two rivers and two other areas. China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs also listed the category of places’ names and their subordinate administrative districts, as per the news report.

    According to the Global Times report, this is the third batch of geographical names announced by the ministry in Arunachal Pradesh. As per the news report, the first batch of the standardized names of six places was issued in 2017, and the second batch of 15 places was released in 2021.

    In December, last year, the Union government said it has seen reports of China attempting to rename some places in Arunachal Pradesh “in its own language” and asserted that the border state has been and will always be an integral part of India.”

    In response to a media query on reports that China has renamed some places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own language, Bagchi said China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017.

    “We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has attempted such a renaming of places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017,” Bagchi said.

    “Arunachal Pradesh has always been, and will always be an integral part of India. Assigning invented names to places in Arunachal Pradesh does not alter this fact,” he added.

    BEIJING: After India outrightly rejected China’s attempt to rename places of Arunachal Pradesh, Beijing on Tuesday claimed its “sovereignty” over the region.

    In a regular press conference, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, “Zangnan (Arunachal Pradesh) is part of China’s territory. In accordance with relevant stipulations of the administration of geographical names of the State Council, competent authorities of the Chinese government have standardised the names of some parts of Zangnan. This is within China’s sovereign rights.”

    Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Tuesday asserted that Arunachal Pradesh will always be an integral part of India.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Bagchi issued the statement after China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs came up with the names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, which it referred to as “Zangnan, the southern part of Tibet.”

    In response to media queries regarding China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, Arindam Bagchi in a statement said, “We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright.”

    He further said, “Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality.”

    Meanwhile, the United States “strongly opposed” China’s attempts to advance a claim over Indian territory, Arunachal Pradesh by renaming localities, the White House said on Tuesday.

    “This is another attempt by the Chinese claim on us, Indian territory. So the United States, as you know, has recognised that territory for a long time and we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance a territory claim by renaming localities. And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by a few things,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

    ALSO READ | Modi’s ‘eloquent silence’ behind China renaming places in Arunachal: Congress

    China released names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh in Chinese characters, Tibetan and pinyin according to the rules on geographical names issued by the State Council, China’s cabinet, Global Times reported.

    The ministry announced the names of 11 places on Sunday and also gave precise coordinates, including two residential areas, five mountain peaks, two rivers and two other areas. China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs also listed the category of places’ names and their subordinate administrative districts, as per the news report.

    According to the Global Times report, this is the third batch of geographical names announced by the ministry in Arunachal Pradesh. As per the news report, the first batch of the standardized names of six places was issued in 2017, and the second batch of 15 places was released in 2021.

    In December, last year, the Union government said it has seen reports of China attempting to rename some places in Arunachal Pradesh “in its own language” and asserted that the border state has been and will always be an integral part of India.”

    In response to a media query on reports that China has renamed some places in Arunachal Pradesh in its own language, Bagchi said China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017.

    “We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has attempted such a renaming of places in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. China had also sought to assign such names in April 2017,” Bagchi said.

    “Arunachal Pradesh has always been, and will always be an integral part of India. Assigning invented names to places in Arunachal Pradesh does not alter this fact,” he added.

  • Why imperil national security for sake of your vanity: Congress questions PM on China

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday posed a set of five questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on China and asked why he has imperilled national security for the sake of his vanity.

    The opposition party also asked whether his obsession with image-building has come at the expense of national interests and why has his personalised diplomacy proven to be utterly hollow.

    In a statement, Congress general secretary communications Jairam Ramesh said he had earlier asked a set of seven questions to the prime minister on China and another set of five questions on December 18, but no answers have been forthcoming.

    “We asked the PM the first set of 7 questions on China on 17.12.22. As expected, no answers were forthcoming, and it was followed by a second set of 5 questions on 18.12.22. Here’s the third set of 5 questions to the PM for which the nation is asking and demanding answers from him,” he said on Twitter.

    The Congress leader said many have pointed out how “afraid the prime minister is” in taking the name of the country’s chief adversary — China — and referred to what Kenneth Juster, who was the US Ambassador to India from 2017 to 2021, said: “far from naming China, your government asked the US not to mention China’s border aggression in its statements.”

    “Would it not have been better to rally international opinion to our side? Why have you imperilled our national security for the sake of your vanity,” Ramesh said.

    “For the sake of your domestic image, you have thrown your effort into personalised diplomacy and projecting strong relationships with major world leaders. With your ‘friend’ President Xi Jinping you sat in a swing in Ahmedabad, shared cups of tea in Wuhan and shook hands in Bali,” he said.

    “As recently as October 2019 you met Xi again and declared that ‘Chennai Vision is the start of a new era in India-China relations’ and added that ‘strategic communications between both the sides have increased’. Six months later the Chinese were communicating their strategic intent, from Depsang to Demchok, while you remained in complete denial. Has your personalised diplomacy not been proven to be utterly hollow? Has your obsession with image-building come at the expense of the national interest,” the Congress leader asked.

    ALSO READ | Govt blocking debate on China, Weakening judiciary: Sonia Gandhi

    Ramesh also said that some time ago the prime minister coined a new slogan “Inch towards Miles” in which “Inch” stood for “India-China” and “Miles” for “Millennium of Exceptional Energy.”

    Then, the country saw the Chinese exert exceptional energy to take over thousands of square miles of its territory in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, he alleged and asked, “Would you agree that your naiveté and bad judgment cost the nation dearly?” He also asked if it was true that when the senior officers of all three armed services assembled at the Combined Commanders’ Conference on INS Vikramaditya in 2015 told the prime minister that they all considered China to be India’s prime military threat, he replied: “I believe that China is not a military threat at all to India.”

    “Does this not reflect a level of delusion and overconfidence against all the available evidence,” the Congress leader asked.

    “The Chinese incursions in early 2020 were a strategic surprise that caught us unprepared. The last time we faced a comparable military surprise was in Kargil in 1999. Why do BJP governments that cloak themselves with ‘nationalism’ so often fall victim to such surprises? Could it be that they are more interested in politicking and attacking the Opposition than ensuring the safety of the country? When will we have an accounting of the China surprise as we did following the Kargil war,” Ramesh questioned.

    The Opposition has been seeking a discussion in Parliament on the border situation with China but the government has not agreed to it terming the issue very sensitive.

    Insisting on its demand for a discussion, the Opposition has been causing disruptions in Parliament ever since the start of the Winter Session on December 7 and has been staging walkouts.

    ALSO READ | China preparing for war, Indian government asleep: Rahul Gandhi

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday posed a set of five questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on China and asked why he has imperilled national security for the sake of his vanity.

    The opposition party also asked whether his obsession with image-building has come at the expense of national interests and why has his personalised diplomacy proven to be utterly hollow.

    In a statement, Congress general secretary communications Jairam Ramesh said he had earlier asked a set of seven questions to the prime minister on China and another set of five questions on December 18, but no answers have been forthcoming.

    “We asked the PM the first set of 7 questions on China on 17.12.22. As expected, no answers were forthcoming, and it was followed by a second set of 5 questions on 18.12.22. Here’s the third set of 5 questions to the PM for which the nation is asking and demanding answers from him,” he said on Twitter.

    The Congress leader said many have pointed out how “afraid the prime minister is” in taking the name of the country’s chief adversary — China — and referred to what Kenneth Juster, who was the US Ambassador to India from 2017 to 2021, said: “far from naming China, your government asked the US not to mention China’s border aggression in its statements.”

    “Would it not have been better to rally international opinion to our side? Why have you imperilled our national security for the sake of your vanity,” Ramesh said.

    “For the sake of your domestic image, you have thrown your effort into personalised diplomacy and projecting strong relationships with major world leaders. With your ‘friend’ President Xi Jinping you sat in a swing in Ahmedabad, shared cups of tea in Wuhan and shook hands in Bali,” he said.

    “As recently as October 2019 you met Xi again and declared that ‘Chennai Vision is the start of a new era in India-China relations’ and added that ‘strategic communications between both the sides have increased’. Six months later the Chinese were communicating their strategic intent, from Depsang to Demchok, while you remained in complete denial. Has your personalised diplomacy not been proven to be utterly hollow? Has your obsession with image-building come at the expense of the national interest,” the Congress leader asked.

    ALSO READ | Govt blocking debate on China, Weakening judiciary: Sonia Gandhi

    Ramesh also said that some time ago the prime minister coined a new slogan “Inch towards Miles” in which “Inch” stood for “India-China” and “Miles” for “Millennium of Exceptional Energy.”

    Then, the country saw the Chinese exert exceptional energy to take over thousands of square miles of its territory in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, he alleged and asked, “Would you agree that your naiveté and bad judgment cost the nation dearly?” He also asked if it was true that when the senior officers of all three armed services assembled at the Combined Commanders’ Conference on INS Vikramaditya in 2015 told the prime minister that they all considered China to be India’s prime military threat, he replied: “I believe that China is not a military threat at all to India.”

    “Does this not reflect a level of delusion and overconfidence against all the available evidence,” the Congress leader asked.

    “The Chinese incursions in early 2020 were a strategic surprise that caught us unprepared. The last time we faced a comparable military surprise was in Kargil in 1999. Why do BJP governments that cloak themselves with ‘nationalism’ so often fall victim to such surprises? Could it be that they are more interested in politicking and attacking the Opposition than ensuring the safety of the country? When will we have an accounting of the China surprise as we did following the Kargil war,” Ramesh questioned.

    The Opposition has been seeking a discussion in Parliament on the border situation with China but the government has not agreed to it terming the issue very sensitive.

    Insisting on its demand for a discussion, the Opposition has been causing disruptions in Parliament ever since the start of the Winter Session on December 7 and has been staging walkouts.

    ALSO READ | China preparing for war, Indian government asleep: Rahul Gandhi

  • No reduction of Chinese troops at LAC, says Army chief on Ladakh standoff

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The situation in eastern Ladakh is “stable but unpredictable”, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande said on Saturday amid the over 30-month standoff between the Indian and Chinese troops in the high-altitude region.

    In an address at a think-tank, Gen Pande said the focus of the next round of military talks would be to resolve issues at the two remaining friction points, seen as a reference to Demchok and Depsang in that region.

    The Army chief also said that there has been no reduction in the strength of the Chinese troops at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the region though there are indications of the return of some of the PLA brigades with the onset of winter as they came for collective training.

    Gen Pande, in his remarks at the ‘Chanakya Dialogues’, pitched for “very carefully calibrated” actions on the LAC to be able to safeguard India’s interests and sensitivities.

    “If I have to describe it (situation) in a single sentence, then I will say that the situation is stable but unpredictable,” Gen Pande said, replying to a question.

    On China’s infrastructure development along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, the Army Chief said it is going on “unabated” and that they are constructing helipads, airfields and roads right up to the passes.

    “One of the notable developments has been the G695 highway which is parallel to the LAC which will give them the ability not only to move forces forward but also switch forces from one sector to another,” he said.

    “As far as our preparations are concerned, our transition to the winter posture is currently underway. But We have also made sure that we have adequate forces and adequate reserves to be able to deal with any contingency,” he added.

    “But in the larger context, we need to very carefully calibrate our actions on the LAC to be able to safeguard both our interests and sensitivities yet be prepared to deal with all types of contingencies,” the Army Chief noted.READ | Ladakh airfield to get upgrade for fighter aircraft ops amid reports of China’s infra works

    There has been no progress yet on resolving the standoff in the Demchok and Depsang regions though the two sides withdrew troops from a number of friction points following a series of military and diplomatic talks.”You are aware of the ongoing talks right at the political, diplomatic and military levels which have been going on between the two sides. Because of these talks, we have been able to find resolution in five out of the seven friction points which were on the table,” Gen Pande said.

    “It is for the remaining two friction points that we are attempting to find resolution,” he noted.

    Gen Pande noted that there was no reduction in the number of troops of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the region. “As far as PLA’s force levels are concerned, there has been no significant reduction,” he said adding there are indications that some of their brigades, which have come for the purpose of collective training, are going back with the onset of winter. “But on the LAC itself, there is no reduction of strength,” he said.

    The Chief of Army Staff also referred to last month’s talks between the two sides under the framework Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on the India-China Border Affairs.

    “We are looking on the next date for the 17th round (of military talks) and that is where I believe through dialogue, we hope to find resolution in these two areas (Demchok and Depsang),” he said.

    The 16th round of high-level military talks took place on July 17. In line with a decision at the meeting, the two sides carried out disengagement from Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area in September.

    Asked about Chinese President Xi Jinping asking PLA troops to remain ready to fight and win wars, Gen Pande said that Indian forces need to focus on Chinese actions.

    “We all know that what the Chinese say and what they do is quite different. It is also part of their deception, or their nature, their character. What they say or articulate, but perhaps we need to focus on their actions rather than what is there in the written text or scripts or their articulation. Perhaps, then we will not go wrong,” he said.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday asserted that India’s relationship with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas and there is no ambiguity in New Delhi’s signalling to that country.

    The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area. Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers and heavy weaponry.

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

    The disengagement in the Pangong Lake area took place in February last year while the withdrawal of troops and equipment in Patrolling Point 17 (A) in Gogra took place in August last year.ALSO READ | Situation has not returned to normal: MEA on eastern Ladakh border row

    NEW DELHI: The situation in eastern Ladakh is “stable but unpredictable”, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande said on Saturday amid the over 30-month standoff between the Indian and Chinese troops in the high-altitude region.

    In an address at a think-tank, Gen Pande said the focus of the next round of military talks would be to resolve issues at the two remaining friction points, seen as a reference to Demchok and Depsang in that region.

    The Army chief also said that there has been no reduction in the strength of the Chinese troops at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the region though there are indications of the return of some of the PLA brigades with the onset of winter as they came for collective training.

    Gen Pande, in his remarks at the ‘Chanakya Dialogues’, pitched for “very carefully calibrated” actions on the LAC to be able to safeguard India’s interests and sensitivities.

    “If I have to describe it (situation) in a single sentence, then I will say that the situation is stable but unpredictable,” Gen Pande said, replying to a question.

    On China’s infrastructure development along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, the Army Chief said it is going on “unabated” and that they are constructing helipads, airfields and roads right up to the passes.

    “One of the notable developments has been the G695 highway which is parallel to the LAC which will give them the ability not only to move forces forward but also switch forces from one sector to another,” he said.

    “As far as our preparations are concerned, our transition to the winter posture is currently underway. But We have also made sure that we have adequate forces and adequate reserves to be able to deal with any contingency,” he added.

    “But in the larger context, we need to very carefully calibrate our actions on the LAC to be able to safeguard both our interests and sensitivities yet be prepared to deal with all types of contingencies,” the Army Chief noted.READ | Ladakh airfield to get upgrade for fighter aircraft ops amid reports of China’s infra works

    There has been no progress yet on resolving the standoff in the Demchok and Depsang regions though the two sides withdrew troops from a number of friction points following a series of military and diplomatic talks.”You are aware of the ongoing talks right at the political, diplomatic and military levels which have been going on between the two sides. Because of these talks, we have been able to find resolution in five out of the seven friction points which were on the table,” Gen Pande said.

    “It is for the remaining two friction points that we are attempting to find resolution,” he noted.

    Gen Pande noted that there was no reduction in the number of troops of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the region. “As far as PLA’s force levels are concerned, there has been no significant reduction,” he said adding there are indications that some of their brigades, which have come for the purpose of collective training, are going back with the onset of winter. “But on the LAC itself, there is no reduction of strength,” he said.

    The Chief of Army Staff also referred to last month’s talks between the two sides under the framework Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on the India-China Border Affairs.

    “We are looking on the next date for the 17th round (of military talks) and that is where I believe through dialogue, we hope to find resolution in these two areas (Demchok and Depsang),” he said.

    The 16th round of high-level military talks took place on July 17. In line with a decision at the meeting, the two sides carried out disengagement from Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area in September.

    Asked about Chinese President Xi Jinping asking PLA troops to remain ready to fight and win wars, Gen Pande said that Indian forces need to focus on Chinese actions.

    “We all know that what the Chinese say and what they do is quite different. It is also part of their deception, or their nature, their character. What they say or articulate, but perhaps we need to focus on their actions rather than what is there in the written text or scripts or their articulation. Perhaps, then we will not go wrong,” he said.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday asserted that India’s relationship with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas and there is no ambiguity in New Delhi’s signalling to that country.

    The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area. Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers and heavy weaponry.

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

    The disengagement in the Pangong Lake area took place in February last year while the withdrawal of troops and equipment in Patrolling Point 17 (A) in Gogra took place in August last year.ALSO READ | Situation has not returned to normal: MEA on eastern Ladakh border row

  • If Army can’t move its missile launchers upto Indo-China border, how will it fight war: Centre to SC

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that if the Army cannot move its missile launchers, heavy machinery upto the northern Indo-China border, then how will it defend it and fight a war, if it breaks out.

    Trying to allay the concerns of landslides in Himalayan regions due to the construction of the wider Chardham highway project, the government said all necessary steps have been taken to mitigate the disaster and added that landslides have happened in various parts of the country and not specifically due to road construction.

    The strategic 900-km-long Chardham project worth Rs 12,000 crore aims to provide all-weather connectivity to four holy towns — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath — in Uttarakhand.

    A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and Vikram Nath which reserved its verdict on a plea of the Ministry of Defence to modify its earlier order and plea of an NGO ‘Citizens for Green Doon’ against the widening of the road asked them to file written submissions on the steps taken and to be taken to mitigate landslides in the region.

    Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for Centre, said “These are inhospitable terrains where Army needs to move heavy vehicles, machineries, weapons, missiles, tanks, troops and food supplies. Our Brahmos missile is 42 feet long and needs large vehicles to carry its launchers. If the Army cannot move its missile launchers and machineries upto the northern China border, then how will it fight a war, if it breaks out”.

    He said, “God forbid if the war breaks out then how will the Army deal with it if it does not have its weapons. We have to be careful and on guard. We are to remain prepared. Our Defence Minister attended Indian Road Congress and had said that the Army needs disaster-resilient roads”.

    Venugopal said that appropriate studies have been undertaken including geological surveys, morphology, and human activities in the vulnerable areas and steps like slope stabilisation, afforestation, scientific muck disposal have been undertaken.

    “Landslides can happen anywhere in the country even where there is no road activity but mitigation steps which are necessary are undertaken. Our roads need to be disaster resilient. There are specialised protection measures undertaken in the vulnerable areas, where frequent landslides occur and heavy snowfall blocks the road,” he said.

    The top law officer said that the Indian Road Congress (IRC) has recommended an additional 1.5-meter width in snow-bound areas so that vehicles can move in those areas.

    “The build-up on the other side of the border can only be accessed through passes in these mountains. The High Powered Committee (HPC) supervising the Chardham project in its report did not address these concerns of the Army. The HPC report is far cry from the needs of the Army,” he said.

    He said today there is a situation where the country needs to be protected and all the available resources and forces need to be combined to protect the country.

    “We need to ensure that all the facilities which are needed by the Army are provided.We cannot raise our hands and say that our roads are of 5.5-meter width and therefore our Brahmos launchers cannot go up the hill. There are huge Tatra trucks, tanks, and other smerch multiple rocket launchers which need to go up the hill,” he said.

    Venugopal said that the Army has to undertake a stupendous task to reach upto the China border through the mountain passes come whatever may like landslides or snowfall.

    “Can the Army say that it will not take these mountain roads as landslides happen and hence it cannot protect the borders? There are no alternatives. We have to live with landslides. We have to deal with it through mitigating steps. Landslides have happened in Karnataka, North Eastern States, West Bengal, and other parts of the country. It has not spared anybody. It has to be accepted that Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand witness more landslides”, he said.

    Venugopal said that the HPC report focuses on totally different aspects and did not consider the situations of the Army which it has to undertake.

    Senior advocate Collin Gonsalves, appearing for the NGO, said that the road widening project has to be stopped.

    It will endanger the lives of soldiers and people as the Himalayas don’t need any such thing to happen.

    “These activities cannot be allowed by the Himalayas. These are god-given restrictions. If you forcefully try to do it, the mountains will reclaim it. There were some mitigation steps taken but they were all washed out”, he said.

    On Wednesday, the top court had asked the Centre and an NGO to suggest additional safeguards which it could impose on implementing agencies of the ambitious Chardham project if it allows the multi-thousand crore project to go on considering the huge ramification of the country’s defence needs.

    The court was hearing the Centre’s plea seeking modification of the September 8, 2020 order, which had asked the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to follow the 2018 circular stipulating carriageway width of 5.5 metre on the ambitious Chardham highway project, which goes up to the China border.

    In its application, the MoD had said it seeks modification of the order and directions that the national highways from Rishikesh to Mana, from Rishikesh to Gangotri, and from Tanakpur to Pithoragarh may be developed to two-lane configuration.

  • Uttarakhand’s Chamoli avalanche toll rises to 15

    By PTI
    GOPESHWAR: The death toll in an avalanche at Sumna near the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district rose to 15 on Monday with the recovery of three more bodies, an official said.

    Three people are still missing and efforts are on to locate them, Chamoli Disaster Management Officer N K Joshi said.

    Sumna, where the avalanche occurred on Friday, is located near the confluence of the Girthigad and Kiogad, two streams that originate from the Dhauli Ganga river, which witnessed a calamitous avalanche in February, killing 80 people and leaving 126 missing.

    Joshi said the three bodies were recovered from the accident site on Monday morning.

    Ten bodies were recovered from the avalanche site on Saturday and two on Sunday, he said confirming 15 deaths so far.

    He said the bodies are being taken to Joshimath for a post-mortem.

    Eleven of the dead have been identified and they all were residents of Jharkhand.

    Seven people injured in the incident are undergoing treatment.

    Five of them are receiving treatment at Joshimath Army Hospital while two were taken to Dehradun.