Tag: Galwan Valley

India-China border conflict: How will it pan out in 2021

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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2020 will be remembered as a year when India-China relations went through a hard reset. Embroiled in a border stand-off in eastern Ladakh since May, at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in June during a violent clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley. This was the first such incident involving fatalities after a gap of 45 years.

The Chinese side too suffered casualties. India has retaliated by banning Chinese apps and putting Chinese investments under greater scrutiny. Nine months since the border tensions began, lakhs of Indian and Chinese troops remain deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

India and China have held several rounds of talks in the last few months to resolve the standoff. However, no concrete breakthrough has been achieved so far.

China has refused to pull back troops from Indian positions and instead wants India to accept the new status quo.

CNBC-TV18’s Parikshit Luthra reports how will the LAC standoff pan out in 2021.

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No intrusions, major faceoffs in Eastern Command area since Ladakh crisis: Chauhan

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said there have been no intrusions or major faceoffs in the area of responsibility of the Eastern Command since the Ladakh standoff between Indian troops and China’s PLA.

He said that post the Galway Valley incident, bonhomie and mutual trust on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China evaporated, and it will take time for things to stabilise.

Lt Gen Chauhan, GoC-in-C Eastern Command, said the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army had undertaken some precautionary deployment during the Ladakh crisis, which is now witnessing a gradual deduction in the eastern sector, due to the onset of winter.

”However, the Indian Army is prepared to beat any challenge during the winter,” he told reporters at the Fort William here on the occasion of Vijay Diwas.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

China planned Galwan Valley incident, says US report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Chinese government had planned the Galwan Valley incident in June, potentially including the possibility for fatalities, a US Congressional Commission has said, asserting that Beijing “provoked” the first deadly clash on the Sino-India border in nearly half a century.

The ruling Chinese Communist Party employs its armed forces as a coercive tool during peacetime, carrying out large-scale intimidation exercises around Taiwan and in the South China Sea, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in its latest annual report to Congress.

“This year, it provoked the first deadly clash on the China-India border in nearly half a century. China’s rising aggression has not gone unnoticed,” the report said. In June, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Indian troops engaged in a massive physical brawl in the Galwan Valley, located in the far-western Ladakh region along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) separating the two countries, said the report dated December 1.

The clash, which followed a series of standoffs beginning in early May along multiple sectors of the LAC, led to at least 20 Indian deaths and an unconfirmed number of Chinese casualties, the first time since 1975 that lives were lost in fighting between the two sides. “Some evidence suggested the Chinese government had planned the incident, potentially including the possibility for fatalities,” the report said.

For instance, several weeks prior to the clash Chinese Defence Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe made a statement encouraging Beijing to “use fighting to promote stability.” Just over two weeks before the incident, in another potential indication of Chinese leaders signalling their intent to escalate tensions, an editorial in China’s state-owned tabloid Global Times warned that India would suffer a “devastating blow” to its trade and economic ties with China if it got “involved in the US-China rivalry.” Further satellite images depicted a large Chinese buildup in the Galwan Valley, including potentially 1,000 PLA soldiers, the week before the deadly skirmish, said the Congressional Commission created in 2000 for monitoring and investigating national security and trade issues between the US and China. China and India have engaged in multiple physical clashes along their border for decades, but since General Secretary Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012 the two countries have seen five major altercations along their border. The exact motivations behind the Chinese government’s provocative behaviour on the LAC this year remain unclear, it noted.

“The proximate cause of the clash appeared to be India’s construction of a strategic access road to support troops stationed along the LAC. China has also built extensive infrastructure along the LAC in recent years. In the aftermath of the clash, Beijing asserted sovereignty over the entire Galwan Valley, a new claim and significant change to the territorial status quo,” the report said. According to the report, the Chinese Navy has also regularly deployed diesel-electric and nuclear attack submarines in the Indian Ocean since 2013, which – despite their ostensible mission to support China’s Gulf of Aden antipiracy task forces – serve to collect intelligence and signal to India that China could contest the Indian Navy or threaten commercial shipping.

Chinese hydrographic survey vessels also sometimes venture into waters around India’s strategic sites to collect intelligence, the report said, citing an example of India’s navy chasing away China’s Shiyan-1 research vessel in December 2019 after catching the vessel loitering without permission near Port Blair. The Commission said that in 2020, China sought to project an image of confidence and increased efforts to portray itself as a global leader superior to the United States even as it faced an increasing array of challenges at home and abroad.

“Beijing ramped up its multiyear coercion campaign against its neighbours, provoking military or paramilitary standoffs with countries from Japan to India and much of Southeast Asia. Shortly after China’s defence minister urged Beijing to use military force to stabilise its periphery, a violent clash on the China-India border in June led to the first loss of life between the two countries since 1975,” it said.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

After PLA’s ‘will to pull back’, India-China turn tank guns away in non-combat position ahead of de-escalation

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Two days after sources told News18 that for the first time in six months China has hinted at a willingness to withdraw troops from eastern Ladakh, a three-step de-escalation plan of the Army has now come to fore. A move towards pullback was seen when both sides turned the face of their tanks away from the enemy positions, officials said on Monday.

They told News18 that the three-step approach to de-escalation was proposed at the eighth round of corps commander-level talks. The de-escalation begins with the withdrawal of tanks and armoured vehicles and ends with complete pull back.

While the final nod for the proposal is awaited from Beijing and Delhi, officials in the security grid do point out that it is easier for China to bring back its tanks and armoured vehicles because of better roads on their side. “India had taken China by surprise by bringing its tanks up on the ridgeline. Once we withdraw, it will be difficult to reclaim those positions,” an officer told News18.

The second proposal is to permit the Indian side to patrol up to Finger 8. China has for the first time indicated that it is willing to de-escalate on north and south bank of Pangong Tso simultaneously. So far PLA had insisted that Indian side vacate the heights along Pangong Tso first. India had asked for the simultaneous withdrawal of troops. Indian and Chinese troops are at eyeball-to-eyeball position along Finger 4. PLA has not allowed Indian troops to patrol up to Finger 8 on the north bank since Galwan clashes.

The proposal also includes turning area between Finger 4 and Finger 8 into a ‘no patrolling’ zone. Indians, as per this proposal, would withdraw till Shan Singh Thapa post between Finger 2 and Finger 3, while China would withdraw beyond Finger 8. Traditionally, Indian troops have patrolled till Finger 8, while Chinese side have patrolled till Finger 4.

The third proposal is troop reduction. Thirty per cent troop reduction from both sides simultaneously has been proposed as a starting point. News18 had reported on Monday that de-escalation would begin with troop withdrawal from Pangong Tso and subsequent decision will be taken on Chushul and Depsang.

The dates for the next round of talks is expected this week. It is likely that both sides will finalise the de-escalation proposal at the ninth round of talks.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PM praises ITBP, says, “Can overcome most daunting challenges”

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi heaped praises on Indian paramilitary force Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on its 59th Raising Day. ITBP which is trained in mountain warfare, guards the Sino-India Line of Actual Control (LAC) including Ladakh where India and China had a massive escalation at the Galwan Valley.

“India salutes the indomitable spirit of the ITBP Himveers on their Raising Day. Such is their valour & determination that they can successfully overcome the most daunting of challenges. We are equally proud of the humanitarian efforts of ITBP during times of disasters,” tweeted Prime Minister.

Interestingly, earlier in the day, Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy announced government’s approval to the ITBP to set up 47 Border Outposts (BoPs) to step up vigil along the border. The minister also said that 28 types of new vehicles have been provided to the ITBP, which has been allotted a budget of Rs 7,223 crore.

Raised on October 24, 1962 during India-China war, the ITBP primarily guards the borders in the Himalayas at the BOPs located at altitudes ranging from 3,000 to 18,800 feet. It has also been deployed for anti-Maoist operations and other internal security duties.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Indian-Americans protest China’s aggression against India; human right violations of Uyghurs

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A group of Indian-Americans from in and around the national capital held a protest here against China’s aggression towards India and the human right violations of Uyghur minority groups in the country’s restive Muslim-majority Xinjiang region.

Maintaining social distancing and wearing masks, the peaceful protestors on Sunday gathered at the historic national mall facing the US Capitol and displayed anti-China posters, banners and raised slogans against the Communist Party of China and its leaders.

“This summer while the world was fighting coronavirus, China was trying to encroach upon other’s land. It’s not only in Ladakh in India but also against it’s other neighbours as well. It’s time that the world unites against this Chinese aggression,” said Adapa Prasad from Overseas Friends of BJP USA.

Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a bitter standoff in several areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May 5. The situation deteriorated after the June 15 Galwan Valley clashes in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed and an unconfirmed number of Chinese soldiers died.”China’s Communist party has infringed on the religious rights of the Uyghur community and violated human rights of people of Hong Kong, Puneet Ahluwalia, who is an Indian-American Republican and founder of the Proud American Political Action Committee, said.

Ahluwalia, who is exploring to run for the post of Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, said US President Donald Trump’s hard measures against China was in the right direction. “China has to play international rules,” he said.

We have seen what they have done in Africa. We have seen that they are doing in Iran. Most importantly, they recently backstabbed India, Ahluwalia said, alleging that China is spying on Americans through various social media applications and by stealing data and information.

Sunil Singh, an eminent Indian-American from the Greater Washington DC area, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for banning Chinese applications in India. Noting that people of India have stopped buying China made goods, he said there was also a need for the Americans to make a similar move.
This was the second major anti-China protest by Indian-Americans here in Washington DC.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Border dispute should not dominate China, India ties – Chinese envoy to US

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A border dispute between India and China – which turned deadly in June when troops of the two sides clashed – should not dominate relations between the nuclear-armed Asian powers, the Chinese ambassador to the United States said on Tuesday.

“I don’t think this issue should dominate in relations between China and India, and I don’t think this is the view of our Indian friends,” Ambassador Cui Tiankai said in an appearance at the Aspen Security Forum.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

India, China to hold 5th round of military talks

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The fifth round of talks between the Indian and Chinese military representatives to discuss disengagements are set to take place on Sunday in Moldo, even as Beijing has started troop and material build-up in depth areas across the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Chinese side has started troop, artillery and armour build-up in three sectors of the LAC — western (Ladakh), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh) and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal).

China has also mobilised soldiers near Uttarakhand’s Lipulekh Pass, a tri-junction between India, Nepal and China situated atop the Kalapani Valley.

The fifth round of Corps Commander level talks between the 14 Corps commander Lt General Harinder Singh and South Xinjiang Military District chief Major General Liu Lin will begin at 11 a.m.

They will deliberate on the prevailing situation in Pangong Lake and Gogra where disengagement has not taken place.

At Pangong Lake, China has strengthened their positions between Finger-5 and 8 and India is to take up this move very strongly.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is refusing to pull back eastwards from the 8-km stretch it has occupied from Finger-4 to Finger-8 by building scores of new fortifications there since early May.

The mountain spurs jutting into the lake are referred to as Fingers in military parlance.

The Chinese troops are also in Depsang which continues to block Indian soldiers from going to their traditional patrolling in the region.

The Depsang Plains, a table-top plateau to the north of Galwan, remains a major hotspot due to its strategic location providing access to the logistical hub and airstrip at Daulat Beg Oldie and the critical Karakoram Pass in the north.

Since the PLA troops are not moving back as per consensus, the Indian Army has kicked off the massive logistical exercise for advance winter stocking with rations, specialised clothing, prefabricated shelters, Arctic tents and other equipment to maintain.

India has deployed over 35,000 troops in Ladakh.

China is not complying with the roadmap for a complete pullback that was drawn out during the Corps Commander level meet on July 14.

Till now two rounds of deliberations have taken at Moldo (China) and two in Chushul (India).

The countries are locked in a three-month-long stand-off at multiple points, hitherto unprecedented along the border.

China had changed the status quo on the LAC at various places, moving inside the Indian territories. India has objected to it and is taking up the matter with China at all levels.

The troop disengagement happened only at patrolling point-14 in Galwan Valley, the site of the June 15 clashes, and patrolling point-15 in Hot Springs.

On June 15, as many as 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops were killed in a violent clash in the Galwan Valley.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Indian, Chinese troops complete disengagement at most localities of border, says China

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The frontline troops of China and India have “completed” disengagement at most locations of their border, a senior Chinese official said on Tuesday, adding the situation on the ground is easing.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin made this statement at a briefing in Beijing when a reporter from China’s official media asked him to comment on media reports that the border troops from India and China have completed the disengagement from the Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and Kongka Pass areas and the only area where disengagement is left to be implemented is along the Pangong Tso.

During the briefing, the spokesman noted that China and India have recently conducted frequent communication through military and diplomatic channels.

The border troops of China and India have “completed” the disengagement in most locations in eastern Ladakh after “intensive communication” through military and diplomatic channels and the situation on the ground is easing, the official translator quoted Wang as saying.

Indian government sources in New Delhi said this statement is not correct.

Later, an English translation of Wang’s remarks in Mandarin put up on the Chinese foreign ministry website which read as, “As border troops have disengaged in most localities, the situation on the ground is deescalating and the temperature is coming down.”

At the briefing, Wang said, “We have held four rounds of commander level talks and three meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC).”

“Currently the two sides are actively preparing for the fifth round of commander-level talks to resolve outstanding issues on the ground. We hope the Indian side will work towards the same goal with China, implement the two sides’ consensus and jointly uphold peace and tranquillity along the border,” the spokesman added.

Asked when the next commanders level meeting will be held, Wang said the information will be released in due course.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said that India and China agreed on “early and complete” disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh and may hold more military talks soon so as to work out further steps to ensure “expeditiously” complete “disengagement and de-escalation” and restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas.

India had also asked China to “sincerely implement” the understanding on troop withdrawals reached by senior military commanders of the two sides.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a nearly two-hour-long telephonic conversation on July 5 to bring down tension between the armies of the two countries in eastern Ladakh. Both China and India commenced the disengagement process from July 6 following talks between Doval and Wang who are Special Representatives for the boundary question.

The tension in eastern Ladakh escalated manifold after the violent clashes in the Galwan Valley on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details. As per US intelligence reports, the Chinese Army suffered 35 casualties.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow