India’s recognition of a new clash with Chinese troops along the Royal Line of Control (LAC) reflects the grim reality of the situation along the disputed border after several rounds of talks failed to carry through. the disconnection process, experts said Monday.
A statement from the Indian Army said the soldiers had preempted “provocative military movements” by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to change the status quo on the night of August 29-30. He added that these actions “violated the consensus reached during military and diplomatic engagements” during the clash in eastern Ladakh that had started in early May.
In recent weeks, after several rounds of talks between corps commanders on the ground and the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (CMMC) on border issues, the differences between the two parties on the process of disengagement and de-escalation have emerged. in the open.
Also read: Chinese troops ‘strictly’ comply with LAC, never cross the line: Beijing
The Chinese side has even referred to both sides having “positively assessed progress” on the disengagement, but the Indian side has insisted that the process is a work in progress and more needs to be done to move it forward.
In the last weekly press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA), the spokesman Anurag Srivastava said that “the complete disconnection requires the redeployment of troops by each side to their regular posts on their respective sides of LAC”, which only it can be done through “reciprocal mutually agreed actions” by both parties.
Former Naval Chief Admiral (retired) Arun Prakash said the time had come for the Indian side to do a “reality check and prepare for the worst.” He added: “It is a grim situation.”
Prakash believes that the Indian side has misinterpreted the situation, especially as the Chinese side’s actions have often differed from it, he said. “It seems they have decided to restore their limit to whatever is in accordance with their historical interpretation,” he said.
Significantly, the last confrontation occurred on the south shore of Pangong Lake, where most of the friction in this area has been on the north shore.
The Chinese actions also go against the claim of the Chinese envoy to India Sun Weidong last week that “the existing situation on the ground is generally under control and there is no new confrontation between the two forces.” The envoy has even described the June 15 clash, which resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and unspecified Chinese casualties, as “a brief moment from the perspective of history.”
Sameer Patil, a fellow for international security studies at Gateway House, a think tank, said the latest confrontation reflected the “obstinate attitude of the Chinese to resolve the confrontation” throughout LAC.
“The incident goes against what your diplomats have been saying. The Chinese are suing the diplomatic channel to create a smokescreen while the Central Military Commission headed by President Xi Jinping is pushing the case on the ground, “he said.
Patil also believes that the latest Chinese action could be part of efforts to change the national narrative after several photos were widely shared on China’s social media platforms that allegedly showed the graves of Chinese troops killed in the clash on 15 of June.
“There have been at least four of those tombstone images and perhaps the Chinese want to obstruct the national narrative and change it to one of protection of national interests,” he said.
Prakash said India would need to “keep its feet firmly on the ground and seek alliances and partnerships” to address the challenges it faces. “If things take a military or kinetic turn, the escalation will not be in our hands,” he added.
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