Army commanders to meet again over LAC

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 30

More than two weeks after their last meeting and a deadlocked de-escalation process, Lt General-level commanders of India and China are slated to meet again.

This, even as both sides are taking no chances to let down their guard militarily along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.

India is mentally ready for a long haul that includes setting up pre-fabricated facilities for housing additional troops that have been rushed in to face the Chinese. Special Indian Air Force flights and helicopters are being pressed into service to carry these pre-fabricated structures.

A meeting of the commanders was held on July 15. It lasted 15 hours. The two sides have met four times since June 6. A meeting was proposed between July 28 and 30, but the plan did not fructify.

A senior functionary said fresh dates for the meeting were being worked out. The aim would be to remind the Chinese that the agreed upon de-escalation schedule must be honoured.

The Tribune was the first to report in its edition dated July 21 that China was dithering on honouring the deal to pull back troops, weapons and equipment.

Since then, India has made it clear that it wants the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China to fully adhere to the agreement on creating a physical buffer zone along the LAC and going back from some specific areas, before any progress could be made. China, despite agreeing to it, has not vacated the area east of Finger-4 on the north bank of Pangong Tso. There are issues of Chinese build-up in the Depsang area, but the prime concern is the Pangong Tso area. The PLA has pulled back its boats from the waters in front of Finger-4, but its troops on ground remain.