THe Chief of Indian Army, General M M Naravane on Friday made a quiet trip to Leh, the headquarters of the 14 Corps in Ladakh, to take a review of the security situation along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) amid rising tensions between with China.
The General’s visit comes at a time when troops of both countries are in a face-off in at least 4 areas along the LAC in Ladakh. A day ago, New Delhi said China was hindering India’s normal patrolling patterns along the LAC, which has witnessed rival troop build-ups after violent clashes.
Both India and China have pumped in additional troops, built fortifications and pitched tents at a few stretches along the LAC in three areas in eastern Ladakh, which include the northern bank of Pangong Tso, Demchok and Galwan Valley areas, after the violent clashes between the rival soldiers on May 5-6.
In a standoff, the Army personnel of both the nations, al most 250 n number clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in the Pangong Tso lake area in which soldiers on both the sides sustained injuries, the Indian media reported, in another incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector on May 9. At least 10 soldiers from both sides sustained injuries.
Five rounds of talks have taken place between the Indian and Chinese troops which have failed to de-escalate tensions in Ladakh as the two sides have maintained increased troop build-ups after violent clashes.
India has traditionally downplayed tensions along the LAC with China as “routine and temporary”, one that occurs because of “differing perception of the LAC”.
But in a change of posture this week, the MEA said “Indian troops are fully familiar with the alignment of the LAC and abide by it scrupulously”. The MEA statement went on to accuse the Chinese of hindering Indian troops while patrolling, however their chinese counter parts have called this the “biggest escalation since Doklam” and warned that “if India exaggerates the friction, the Indian military will have to pay a heavy price for it.”
Global Times, the official mouth piece of the Chinese regime claims the border standoff is an attempt by the Indian government to deflect attention from its “poor handling of the Covid-19 pandemic”.