Prime Minister meets military brass on LAC crisis

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 26

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting on Tuesday with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat besides other senior officials on a day the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops continued in the Galwan valley of eastern Ladakh. Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh RK Mathur, who was in Delhi, also called on the Prime Minister, said official sources.

Singh is learnt to have heard them out, discussing troop numbers and risk to infrastructure. Earlier, the Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army held several meetings to resolve the LAC situation in eastern Ladakh.

Defence sources said India, for now, had decided that road construction along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh must continue and Indian fortifications and troop deployment must match those of the Chinese. The Indian Army has been asked to hold ground while talks to defuse the situation would continue.

Meanwhile, reports said China continued to add to its military strength across eastern Ladakh as tensions festered in the Galwan valley and north of the Pangong Tso, a 135-km glacial lake.

Some 8,000-10,000 troops along a stretch of 826 km and armoured personal carriers and artillery guns have already been deployed on both sides. Troop build-up on both sides is concentrated at three spots —- one at Galwan and two around Pangong Tso. The cause of the flare-up is apparently the 255-km Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Baig Oldie road.

Opposite the road or eastwards of it is the Aksai Chin plateau, illegally occupied by China.

China and India have a string of air bases close to the LAC which can be used to launch an offensive. A senior official explained that fully functional Chinese airfields at Kashgar, Korla, Yarkand, Hotan, Ngari Gunsa and Gardzong virtually form a ‘ring’ around Ladakh.

On Friday, General Manoj Mukund Naravane had visited Leh, the headquarters of 14 Corps, and reviewed security deployment of forces along the LAC.

India denies trespassing

Refutes China’s contention that tension triggered due to trespassing by its forces; says Chinese troops hindering patrolling

China irked by infra

• China has been peeved about India laying a key road in finger area of Pangong Tso region and another road connecting the Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Baig Oldie road along Galwan valley.

Increased patrolling

• Since the face-offs, China increased its strength in Pangong Tso, Galwan valley, Demchok and Daulat Baig Oldie.
• India Army too carrying out patrolling in region.

Scale up battle preparedness: Xi

Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday ordered the military to scale up the battle preparedness. He was speaking at a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People’s Liberation Army during the parliament session. His comments came in the backdrop of the LAC stand-off. PTI

Doklam stand-off lasted 73 days

• India, China were engaged in 73-day stand-off in Doklam in 2017, triggering fears of a war
• The LAC covers 3,488 kms. China claims Arunachal as part of southern Tibet, India contests it.