News Analysis India

Tag: Pangong Lake

  • China links North-South Banks of Pangong lake, PLA troop mobilisation time decrease to one-third

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: In a significant development, the Chinese have linked up the North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake in the Eastern Ladakh which has been the focal point of major standoffs between the Indian and Chinese armed forces beginning May 2020.

    A source confirmed, “The construction of the bridge is going on for some time and we are well aware of it.” 

    It is roughly 25 km ahead of LAC on the Chinese side where the gap between the two banks of the lake is around 500 meters, the source added, and this will reduce the cross country distance, which is at present of approx 200kms, by 150 km and the 12 hours travel time will be around one-third of it.

    On the North Bank, one end of the bridge is close to Khurnak Fort, and the other end will bring it closer to the Moldo Garrison which is on the South bank. The Pangong Tso is a 135 km long high altitude (around 14,300ft) lake with around 45 kilometers on the Indian side of the LAC. 

    As reported earlier by The New Indian Express, it was on 29th August 2020 that the Indian Army had offset the tactical balance in favour of India by occupying the Kailash Ranges which brought the Moldo Garrison of the PLA under direct observation making it militarily untenable.

    TNIE broke the story that the Chinese forces clashed with the Indian Army at Finger 4 in May 2020 and mobilised their forces in standoff deployment at various points. The tensions between the two sides led to a deadly clash on 15 June 2020 in which both sides lost lives.

    It was on February 11, 2021, that the two sides reached an agreement and disengagement took place on both the banks of the Pangong Lake. As per claims, Indian LAC is at Finger 8 where the Chinese troops moved back after removing all the construction done during the standoff period. The disengagement also took place at Galwan and Gogra.

    The mountain spurs descending towards Pangong Lake are called Fingers and they are from 1 to 8.

    Although after 13 Corps Commander level talks disengagements have taken place the overall presence of the forces in the region hangs at more than 50, 000 troops on each side along with their offensive firepower including the artillery, tanks, missiles and heavy machinery.  

    Both sides continue with talks at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the issues. There is a difference of perception regarding the position of the Line of Actual Control and this has led to standoff at regular intervals which have been getting resolved as per the mechanisms agreed between India and China.

  • Keeping an eye on drill by Chinese military near Ladakh region: General Naravane

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Indian Army is keeping a constant eye on activities by the Chinese military including a drill it is conducting in its training areas near Ladakh region and there were no “violations” by either side since the implementation of the disengagement in Pangong lake areas, Chief of Army Staff Gen M M Naravane said on Wednesday.

    Gen Naravane also expressed hope that both sides will be able to make forward movement in resolving issues in other areas.

    The Chief of the Army Staff said the disengagement has been cordial so far, but added that Indian troops are maintaining an effective vigil to deal with any eventualities along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.

    Asked about a military drill by the Chinese Army in their depth areas, he said Indian troops are keeping a constant eye on it.

    “We have seen movements in training areas. It is an annual exercise. They come for training. We also go to training areas. We have been keeping a constant eye on it. We have forces along the LAC and they are adequate to deal with any action or activity,” Gen Naravane told India Today channel.

    He said there were no “transgressions and violations” since the disengagement process took place in February and both sides are observing it in letter and spirit.

    “What is important is that we are talking. And what is important to know is that between two phases, there are periods where the trust has to be built up. I think the trust has (been) built. because of that trust, maybe we will be able to make forward movement in other areas where issues are still to be resolved,” he told CNN-News18.

    The Chief of Army Staff said India will maintain its enhanced presence on the northern front till de-escalation is achieved.

    India and China were locked in a military standoff at multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh since early May last year but they have completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February following a series of military and diplomatic talks.

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

    There was no visible forward movement in disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points as the Chinese side did not show flexibility in their approach on it at the 11th round of military talks with the Indian Army on April 9.

    About the coronavirus crisis, Gen Naravane said the Army is fully ready to extend all possible assistance in India’s fight against the pandemic “We are an Army of the people, for the people,” he said.

    “There is no difference in mobilising for the pandemic. This is because time to time we also assist in dealing with other natural calamities. We are quite well geared up. All three branches of armed forces have been working collectively,” he said.

    Naravane said 90 per cent of the forces’ personnel have been administered the second dose of coronavirus vaccine and soon it will touch 95 per cent.

  • No peace and tranquillity if there’s no status quo ante at LAC: Rahul Gandhi

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said there will be no peace and tranquillity if there is no status quo ante at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

    He also asked why the government is insulting the sacrifices of Indian soldiers.

    “No status quo ante = No peace and tranquility. Why is Government of India (GOI) insulting the sacrifice of our jawans and letting go of our territory?” he wrote on Twitter.

    The former Congress chief’s remarks came soon after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a statement in the Rajya Sabha, saying India and China have reached an agreement on disengagement in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh that mandates both sides to cease forward deployment of troops in a “phased, coordinated and verifiable” manner.

    Sharing details of the pact to defuse the tense military face-off in eastern Ladakh that severely strained the ties between the two Asian giants, Singh also assured the Upper House of Parliament that the country has not conceded anything in the sustained talks with China.

    India will not allow even an inch of its territory to be taken by anyone, he said.

    The defence minister said the implementation of the pact will “substantially restore” the situation to the one that existed prior to the standoff which erupted on May 5 last year, adding that the two sides have agreed that they should achieve complete disengagement at the “earliest” and abide fully by the bilateral agreements and protocols.

    Speaking in the Rajya Sabha a day after China announced the disengagement process, Singh said both sides have agreed to remove structures that were built since April last in the north and south bank areas of the Pangong lake, and put in place a temporary moratorium on military activities, including patrolling the traditional areas.

  • Six months after Galwan valley clashes, Indian, Chinese troops engage in another brawl at Sikkim

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Indian and Chinese troops came face-to-face at Naku La in North Sikkim last week amid the tense border standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh, people familiar with the development said on Monday.

    They said the Chinese troops attempted to transgress into the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) but were stopped by the Indian military personnel.

    It is learnt that a brawl broke out when the Indian troops stopped the Chinese soldiers.

    IMPORTANTIt is clarified that there was a minor face-off at Nakula area of North Sikkim on 20 January 2021 & the same was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols: Army@NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard
    — Mayank (@scribesoldier) January 25, 2021

    However, there was no official word on the incident yet.

    Naku La was the same site where the Indian and Chinese troops had engaged in a fierce face-off on May 9 last year following a violent clash between the two sides in Pangong lake area in eastern Ladakh that has triggered the nearly nine-month-long military standoff.

    The Indian and Chinese armies on Sunday held another round of Corps Commander-level talks with an aim to move forward on disengagement of troops from all the friction points in eastern Ladakh.

  • India made big plan in East Ladakh, Marcos commandos deployed in Pangong lake area

    The dispute between India and China in eastern Ladakh is not over yet. The forces of the two countries are face to face on the LAC. The expansionist-thinking China is constantly making efforts to carry out its fraudulent manipulation. In such a situation, India aware of its intention is also cautious and is thwarting its every move. Pengong lakes are the area where there is maximum tension. But now China will think a thousand times before taking a step forward in this area. He will find any activity in Pengong lake expensive. Because India has now taken such a step, which will create panic in China.

    India has deployed its most dangerous Marcos Commandos near Pengong Lake in eastern Ladakh. According to government sources quoting that in East Ladakh, Garuda Commandos of the Air Force are already deployed Para Special Forces of the Indian Army. In view of any cold weather conditions, it was considered to deploy Marcos Commandos here. With which the three forces will be strengthened. After the arrival of naval commandos in cold weather, the power of the three armies will increase by staying together.

    Sources said that Marcos Commandos has been deployed in the Pangong Lake area, where the Indian Chinese Army has been in conflict since the April-May deadline this year. He also informed that the Navy commandos are soon to get new boats to operate in the lake, so that the existing infrastructure in the lake can be monitored while strengthening.