PLA faces off Indian Army at two points in Chushul, China talks peace | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

PLA faces off Indian Army at two points in Chushul, China talks peace

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By
Sep 05, 2020 09:11 PM IST

Although both sides refused to give in an inch of land in Ladakh or occupied Aksai Chin, there were indications and hints towards both the armies returning to the previous positions.

The tough meeting between Indian and Chinese defence ministers in Moscow on Friday evening converged on both sides willing to explore the peace option albeit the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has beefed up its positions south of Pangong Tso with its troops facing the Indian Army at two points.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attends a Joint Meeting of Defence Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Commonwealth of Independent States and Collective Security Treaty Organization Member States in Moscow, Russia.(AP photo)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attends a Joint Meeting of Defence Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Commonwealth of Independent States and Collective Security Treaty Organization Member States in Moscow, Russia.(AP photo)

According to diplomats based both in New Delhi and Moscow, Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe both held their positions while indicating that both countries were willing to give peace a chance in Ladakh. Singh is en-route to Delhi via Tehran.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Also Watch | Amid tiff with China, Rajnath Singh heads to Russia for SCO meet: Key details

 

Also read: Rajnath meets Chinese counterpart amid border tensions. Here’s what they said

While General Wei wrote down all the points raised by Singh during the two and a half-hour meeting, he claimed that the Indian media was very negative and also said that just like India was not of 1962, the PLA had also moved way ahead of skirmishes with Indian Army in 1962. Minister Singh expressed his helplessness in controlling the Indian media saying that India was a democratic country and the media was totally free.

Although both sides refused to give in an inch of land in Ladakh or occupied Aksai Chin, there were indications and hints towards both the armies returning to the previous positions. Perhaps the difference was that the Chinese wanted the previous positions of May, while India was clear that PLA goes back to the positions it occupied in April this year.

Also read: At SCO meet, Rajnath Singh tells China to restore status quo at LAC

However, even as the two senior leaders discussed the issue, the PLA continued to be aggressive mode south of Pangong Tso as it faces Indian Army troopers at the bump feature and at Rechin La in the Chushul Valley. According to senior officials, around 150 PLA troops are deployed at the bump feature with an anti-aircraft gun being moved up the Black Top by the Chinese army on its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Indian and Chinese troops are face to face at Rechin la with the PLA moving in armour early this week to cow down Indian troopers. The Chinese PLA Air Force is continuing with combat air patrols in the area and the troop build-up continues not only in Ladakh but there are signs of force accretion on the Chinese border with Bhutan.

With India matching the PLA in not only troop build-up but also heavy artillery, the road to disengagement and de-escalation is long and tenuous. Now that the two defence ministers have had candid conversations, the stage is set for external affairs minister S Jaishankar to meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the SCO sidelines on September 10 to give a further push to peace.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    author-default-90x90

    Author of Indian Mujahideen: The Enemy Within (2011, Hachette) and Himalayan Face-off: Chinese Assertion and Indian Riposte (2014, Hachette). Awarded K Subrahmanyam Prize for Strategic Studies in 2015 by Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) and the 2011 Ben Gurion Prize by Israel.

SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On