News Analysis India

Tag: PLA

  • Chidambaram demands explanation from Modi government on BJP MP’s claim of ‘Chinese’ village in Arunachal

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram demanded answers from the government on Monday on BJP MP Tapir Gao’s claim that China has built a 100-house village in the “disputed area” deep into the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh.

    He said if the allegation made out by the BJP MP is true, will the government again give a clean chit to China or blame previous governments for it.

    Arunachal Pradesh is an Indian state, but China considers it as its territory.

    There is a border dispute between the two neighbouring countries and there has been a troops build-up in eastern Ladakh after a bloody clash between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation of Army (PLA) of China in June last year.

    India lost 20 soldiers in the Galwan valley clash.

    China also lost many soldiers but did not disclose the number of casualties.

    ALSO READ | Have taken necessary measures to safeguard sovereignty: India on reports of Chinese village in Arunachal

    Chidambaram, who was the home minister in the UPA government, also alleged that the Chinese have altered the status quo in Arunachal Pradesh.

    “Mr Tapir Gao MP, belonging to BJP, has alleged that deep into Arunachal Pradesh, in a ‘disputed area’ within Indian territory, the Chinese have built a 100-house village, a bazaar and a two-lane road in the last year.

    “If this is true, it is clear that the Chinese have altered the status quo by converting a disputed area into a permanent settlement of Chinese nationals. What has the government to say about these startling facts?” he asked.

    “Will the government give another clean chit to China? Or will the government give a convoluted explanation blaming previous governments?” the senior Congress leader asked in a series of tweets.

  • Have taken necessary measures to safeguard sovereignty: India on reports of Chinese village in Arunachal

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: In a cautious reaction to a report that China has built a village in Arunachal Pradesh, India on Monday said it keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on the country’s security, and takes necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

    The Ministry of External Affairs said India has stepped up the construction of border infrastructure, including roads and bridges for the improvement of livelihood of its citizens.

    The response from the ministry came when asked about a report by NDTV channel, saying China has constructed a new village in the disputed region of Arunachal Pradesh and it consisted of about 101 homes.

    The news channel said the report is based on satellite images accessed exclusively by it.

    “We have seen recent reports on China undertaking construction work along the border areas with India. China has undertaken such infrastructure construction activity in the past several years,” the MEA said.

    “In response, our government too has stepped up border infrastructure including the construction of roads, bridges etc, which has provided much needed connectivity to the local population along the border,” it added.

    The ministry also asserted that the government remains committed to the objective of creating infrastructure along the border areas for the improvement of livelihood of its citizens, including in Arunachal Pradesh.

    “Government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India’s security and takes all the necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it said.

    In its report, NDTV showed two images of the area where it said the village has been set up.

    According to the channel, the first image dated August 26, 2019 did not show any human habitation but the second one of November 2020 shows a row of structures.

    The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

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

    India and China are locked in a bitter border row in eastern Ladakh for over eight months.

    The army as well as the Indian Air Force have been maintaining a high state of operational readiness along the entire stretch of the LAC with China including in the Arunachal sector in view of the eastern Ladakh standoff.

    India and China have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks in order to resolve the eastern Ladakh row, but no significant headway has been made for its resolution.

    Earlier this month, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat visited various forward posts near the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh and reviewed India’s operational preparedness.

    He also visited several key installations including “forward most air maintained” posts in Dibang Valley, Lohit sector and Subansiri valley, according to the Army.

  • Indian Army to hold ground at LAC till needed, says General Naravane

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The Army will hold on to its positions in eastern Ladakh — where it’s in a standoff with China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) — till as long as required, General MM Naravane said on Tuesday. While expressing the hope that an amicable solution can be reached through “dialogue and discussion”, the Army chief said, “If talks are prolonged, so be it.

    We are prepared to hold our ground, where we are, for as long as needed to achieve our national goals.” He was addressing the media on the eve of the Army Day. On reports that China has moved troops further away from the border in depth areas, General Naravane said not much should be read into the move as there is no reduction in deployment of personnel at the frontline.

    ALSO READ | Relations with China disturbed by bloodshed last year, says S Jaishankar

    “Training areas have been vacated by China in depth areas which lie at a distance ranging between 500-1500 km from the border. No decrease of strength on either side on friction areas has taken place,” he said.   The Army is maintaining a vigil on the entire northern border, the chief said, adding that there are friction points with China not just in eastern Ladakh but in other sectors, too.

    “No eyeballs-to-eyeballs deployment in eastern and central sector, but there are friction points. Rebalancing as per threat perception is carried out. Rebalancing to northern border was required and it has taken place.”

  • China moves troops at rear, but no change in deployment along LAC

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: China recently moved around 10,000 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) personnel deployed deep inside the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on their side, further away from the border. But there was no change in its deployment of troops and equipment on the Ladakh border, where they ingressed into Indian territory several months ago.

    Confirming the development, a senior Army officer said, “There is no change in the troop positions from the Chinese side.” The deployment of equipment and systems, including the artillery, armoured vehicles and missile regiments in the stand-off mode, have also not changed.

    OPINION | The million dollar question: What will China do hereafter?

    Though the purpose of the Chinese troop reorganisation was not immediately clear, there was speculation that it could be due to bad weather. 

  • PLA soldier apprehended on Indian side of LAC handed back to China

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: A Chinese soldier, apprehended after transgressing to the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), has been handed back to China on Monday.

    According to the army, “The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldier who had been apprehended on 08 January 2021, has been handed back to China at Chushul- Moldo at 10.10 am today.”

    The People’s Liberation Army soldier was apprehended during early hours of January 8, on the Indian Side of the LAC, in Ladakh area, South of Pangong Tso lake.

    ​This was second such case, in about three months, that a Chinese PLA soldier ‘transgressed’ on the southern bank of Pangong Tso. Otherwise, both sides have been in communication only through the hotlines established at various locations and the crossing of LAC takes place only after informing each other.

    FLASHThe PLA soldier who had been apprehended on 08 January 2021, has been handed back to China at Chushul – Moldo at 10.10 AM today: Army@NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard
    — Mayank (@scribesoldier) January 11, 2021

    The cases of transgression, after May 2020 standoff, have been focused to the South Bank side of Pangong Lake in the Eastern Ladakh. It was after the Indian Army took heights on the South Bank of Pangong Tso that the entire dynamics of standoff of the Eastern Ladakh had changed completely.

    Since August 2020, Indian soldiers are deployed on the hill peaks giving advantage of keeping an eye on every move deep inside the Chinese side. The Chinese tried to push the Indian Army soldiers back but the ground situation remain unchanged. In the ensuing process even bullets were fired in air by the soldiers of both countries.

    ​ALSO READ OPINION | The million dollar question: What will China do hereafter?

    As reported first by The New Indian Express, Chinese soldiers had clashed first at Finger 4 in the first week of May, 2020 before deployment of PLA troops at multiple points along LAC in Eastern Ladakh. 

    At present troops from either side are deployed along the LAC since friction erupted last year due to unprecedented mobilisation and forward concentration by Chinese troops.

    The first such transgression from Chinese side took place on October 20, 2020 and a Chinese PLA Corporal Wang Ya Long was apprehended in Demchok, the Indian side of the LAC, south of Pangong Lake.

  • Border standoff: Chinese soldier captured on Indian side of LAC in Ladakh

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Indian Army has caught a Chinese PLA soldier who ‘transgressed’ to the Indian side of the LAC on the southern bank of Pangong Tso on Friday.

    Army on Saturday informed, “During early hours of January 8, a Chinese soldier was apprehended on the Indian side of the LAC in Ladakh, in area South of Pangong Tso lake.” 

    All protocols are being followed and the Chinese side was informed about the event. “The PLA soldier is being dealt with as per laid down procedures and circumstances under which he had crossed the LAC are being investigated.” 

    The capture of the Chinese soldier comes in the midst of an eight-month-long bitter border standoff between the two armies in eastern Ladakh.

    Troops from both sides are deployed along the LAC since the friction erupted last year due to unprecedented mobilization and forward concentration by Chinese troops.

    It was after the Indian Army took heights on the South Bank of Pangong Tso that the entire dynamics of the standoff of the Eastern Ladakh had changed completely.  Since September 2020, Indian soldiers are deployed on the hilltops along the LAC to keep an eye on every move of the Chinese side. Earlier, the Chinese tried to push the Indian Army back but in vain. 

  • Commanders’ meet unlikely soon as India, China refuse to budge

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The next India-China Corps Commanders meeting is unlikely to take place soon as both sides are sticking to their positions regarding deployments and disengagement of troops along the various standoff points in eastern Ladakh.

    India and China have held eight rounds of the Corps Commander talks, with the last one taking place at Chushul on November 6. At the 20th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs on December 18, the two neighbours had agreed to hold another round of talks for taking forward the process of disengagement on the LAC.

    “(But) there is no common ground on the issues to hold the meeting. We are in favour of the option to resolve things through discussions, but the  Chinese side will have to maintain status quo as was in April (last year),” said a senior Army officer. 

    While China has been pressing for discussing troop withdrawal from the south bank of Pangong Tso first and other friction areas later, India is firm on discussing all the contentious areas of Ladakh simultaneously.  

    Temperature has plummeted to around minus 400 C in the remote region making movements restricted, but both sides are maintaining regular contact. “The movement from both sides has ceased,” the officer said. Troops of the two countries along with military support of armoured vehicles are deployed in eastern Ladakh since the Galwan clash.

  • Xi Jinping Appoints New General For PLA’s Western Theatre Command Amid Ladakh Standoff

    Amidst the military standoff in eastern Ladakh, China has appointed a new General as the Commander of the People’s Liberation Army’s Western Theatre Command which oversees the China-India border. 

    Chinese President Xi Jinping, who heads the Central Military Commission (CMC), the overall high-command of the two million-strong People’s Liberation Army (PLA), appointed Gen. Zhang Xudong as the Commander of the Western Theatre Command, according to the official media in Beijing

    According to Xinhua news agency, Xi has promoted four senior Chinese military and armed police officers. Among them was Gen. Zhang, Commander of the Western Theatre Command of the PLA. The other officers who were promoted include Guo Puxiao, Political Commissar of the Logistic Support Department of the CMC; Li Wei, Political Commissar of the PLA Strategic Support Force and Wang Chunning, Commander.