Indian Army on Monday issued a statement that China tried to change the state quo by sending its troops on the south bank of Pangong Tso on the night of August 29 and 30. Chinese troops’ efforts were blocked by the Indian Army even as the talks between the two nations to resolve the nearly four-month long border standoff in eastern Ladakh have not progressed anywhere forward since mid-July.
The Army in its statement said, "On the Night of 29/30 August 2020, PLA troops violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh and carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo."
It further added, "Indian troops pre-empted this PLA activity on the Southern Bank of Pangong Tso Lake, undertook measures to strengthen our positions and thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground. The Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquility through dialogue, but is also equally determined to protect its territorial integrity. A Brigade Commander level Flag Meeting is in progress at Chushul to resolve the issues."
This latest move by China to change the status quo is being said to be of concern as there had not been any issue in regard to the south bank of the Pangong Tso lake till date in comparison to the north bank of the lake, which has caused a lot of disagreement between the two sides in the standoff since early May.
Chinese troops continue holding on to the ridgeline of the Finger 4 spur and is 8km west of Finger 8, which the Indian government has stated the Line of Actual Control (LAC) passes through. Ever since the standoff between the two nations, Chinese troops began strengthening their positions between Finger 8 and Finger 5, and have expressed no intention of going backwards. Furthermore, no disengagement in the Gogra sector has been witnessed apart from the Pangong Tso area.
Up north, China has advanced its troops to a point known as the Bottleneck in Depsang Plains and is about 18 km west of the LAC. Indian troops haven't been able to move around in five patrolling points in the area after Chinese troops formed a block. This area is close to the strategically important Daulat Beg Oldie post of India near the Karakoram Pass in the north.
Despite a number of military and diplomatic discussions held between the two countries, there has been relatively less success for the Indian government in terms of any disengagement since July 14, due to China's stand. China has been firm in its stance that any disengagement would involve both sides pulling back their troops by an equal distance, which India has refused citing it would give the neighboring superpower an advantage owing to the better infrastructure and easier terrain on its side.
India has been demanding status quo ante, for the troops on both sides to move back to their April-end positions. Troops of both countries completed disengagement earlier in June and July at two friction points - at Patrolling Point 14 (PP14) in Galwan Valley, and PP15 in the Hot Springs sector - after three rounds of talks between Corps Commanders. PP14 was the site where 20 Indian soldiers and an undeclared number of Chinese troops were killed on June 15 after clashes between both sides.
In terms of finding an amicable resolution to the crisis between the two countries, this latest tension on the south bank of Pangong Tso could lead to further obstacles. There has been talk about both sides planning to hold a fresh round of discussions, either at the Corps Commander level or at the level of Division Commanders.
Another major concern for India apart from the Chinese troops at eastern Ladakh has been the military build-up by China in the depth areas, where additional troops with military equipment have been posted. India too has followed suit by deploying additional divisions, including air defence assets and air force assets.