Indian Army Chief-General Manoj Pande said on Saturday the situation in eastern Ladakh was “stable but unpredictable,” revealing that despite the onset of winter, there is no significant reduction in Chinese army forces on the Line of Effective Control (LAC).
Amid the more than 30-month standoff between the Indian and Chinese troops in the high-altitude region, Pande said the focus of the next round of military talks will be on resolving issues at the two remaining points of friction seen as pointing to Demchok and Depsang in this region.
Speaking to a think tank, Pande said, “If I have to describe it (situation) in a single sentence, then I will say that the situation is stable but unpredictable.”
Responding to a question from Major Gaurav Arya (retd) during the “fireside chat” on the situation in East Ladakh, Pande replied: “You are aware of the talks at the political, diplomatic and military levels that are ongoing between the two sides. As a result of these discussions, we were able to find a solution to five of the seven points of friction that were on the table. And for the next two points of friction we try to find a solution.”
As for the forces of the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA), “there was no significant reduction,” he said.
In his remarks at the “Chanakya Dialogues”, Pande pleaded for “very carefully coordinated” measures towards the LAC in order 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,” Pande replied to a question.
China’s infrastructure development
Referring to China’s infrastructure development along the LAC, the Indian Army chief said it is going “unabated” and that they are building helipads, airfields and roads up to the passes.
“One of the notable developments was the G695 highway, which runs parallel to the LAC and gives them the ability not only to move forces forward, but also to shift forces from one sector to another,” he said.
“In terms of our preparations, our transition to wintering is currently underway. But we also made sure that we have sufficient forces and sufficient reserves to deal with any eventuality,” he added.
“But in the larger context, we need to calibrate our actions regarding the LAC very carefully to be able to protect both our interests and our sensitivities while being prepared to deal with all kinds of contingencies,” Pande said.
16th round of high-level military talks
The 16th round of high-level military talks was held on July 17. According to a meeting decision, the two sides conducted a withdrawal from Patrol Point 15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area in September.
On Xi Jinping
Asked if Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged PLA troops to remain ready to fight and win wars, Pande said Indian forces must focus on Chinese actions.
“We all know that what the Chinese say and do is very different. It’s also part of their deception or their nature, their character. What they say or articulate, we must… But perhaps we must focus on their actions rather than the written text or scripts or their articulation. Maybe then we won’t do anything wrong,” he said.
On Thursday, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar told Hindustan Times that unless there is peace in the border areas and there is no ambiguity in New Delhi’s signals to that country, India’s relationship with China cannot be normal.
(With inputs from PTI)
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