The excessive deployment of forces by the Chinese side at the eastern sector, especially in and around Ladakh, is being monitored closely by the top leadership including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, reports Economic Times.
The face-offs, which started as a little skirmish initiated by the Chinese troops, later took a serious turn after the Chinese side brought in troops and heavy equipment from a military exercise that was being conducted in the region this week. It is also believed that Chinese troops have also taken up positions along the Pangong Tso Lake and are also carrying out aggressive patrols with motorboats to intimidate Indian forces in the region.
As per the report, the Chinese troops have damaged some temporary structures put up in the finger area near Pangong Tso Lake. At the Galwan flashpoint, Chinese troops have maintained their presence and are being countered by a good number of Indian reinforcements. The face-off position at Galwan was extended by the Chinese to another four kilometres as it was reinforced with additional troops this week.
Reportedly, the Chinese may be targetting Darbuk-Shyok-Daula Beg Oldi (DBO) Road that was constructed last year, which is a lifeline for Sub Sector North (SSN). However, Indian forces have successfully deterred the Chinese with aggressive mobilisation. The experts believe that the current power play is very different from 1962 when Chinese forces managed to inflict damage on Indian soldiers with superior numbers.
Apparently, China is unhappy over the construction of a road and bridge at the Galwan area that has recently been undertaken by India for patrolling and to help the local population. These skirmish at the borders has been on to resolved time-to-time through talks and higher-level involvements. However, a recent commentary by the Chinese media has suggested an aggressive stand by the PLA with reports saying that the Chinese side is ‘tightening its grip’ over the region.
The Indian side is yet to comment on the recent aggression of China but the security establishment maintains that such face-offs do occur on the disputed border and are resolved at the ground level after talks.
Several hundred soldiers from each side have been deployed as the Galwan standoff enters its second week. The Chinese side has over 80 tents at the standoff spot and has made temporary defensive positions, and is believed to have moved fast response reinforcements close to the Galwan River.
Troops clashed in Eastern sector
The Galwan stand-off comes at the backdrop of a recent incident where troops of both India and China were involved in two face-offs in a span of a week in the Eastern Ladakh and near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector along the contentious border between the two countries.
In the first incident, the Chinese army personnel had clashed with Indian forces along the northern bank of the Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh on May 5. The face-off ended the next morning following dialogue between the two sides. A number of soldiers on both sides had sustained minor injuries
Just days before, in another incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel had engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector of the Sino-India border in which at least 10 soldiers sustained injuries.