1 Year to India-China Standoff in Ladakh: China Unwilling to Disengage; Government, Media Dumps Issue

By~ Subhasish Choudhury

Let us begin from the begining. May 5 2020, only a date when the aggression by China was officially recognised. The aggression began in many days advance. The Chinese intruded, blocked and occupied Indian territory, patrolling points, routes or disputed regions in 5-6 different points across the Ladakh border. However, discussions in Indian media remained confined to Galwan Valley in the first few weeks. The Galwan Valley is the place where the clash turned violent after Indian forces tried reclaiming back their patrolling rights in the disputed region and asked the Chinese to move back, who had set up a permanent settlement in the disputed region, with their expansionist intension. The Galwan Valley came to news after the clash, which caused the martyrdom of 20 Indian Army men and 43 Chinese PLA soldiers. China has however accepted the death of only 3 of its soldiers in Galwan. It is the US and Indian agencies that have estimated the Chinese casualties between 38 to 43.

After the Galwan Valley clash, the Chinese and Indian forces set on for numerous meetings to resolve the issue through dialogues. Indian Foreign Minister and Chinese Foreign Minister, with active participation of their Russian counterparts finally spoke on the issue and the tensions began to pull down. The Galwan Valley dispute was solved and both Indian and Chinese soldiers pulled back from the point of clash. 

Then came the turn of the next major flash point, that is the Pangong Tso. The north bank of Pangong Tso was heavily compromised in the Chinese hands. North bank of Pangong Tso has 8 hills, known and counted as fingers. Chinese camp lies behind Finger 8. The Indian camp lies between Finger 2 and 3. The finger 4 to 8 is a disputed region and is patrolled by both the nations. Chinese PLA constructed road between Finger 8 to 4, when Indian Army was engaged in Kargil War, during 1999. Coming to the recent clash, the Indian side had no way left to claim back the lost territory in north bank of Pangong Tso, rather than launching an offensive. In order to ignore direct clash with the Chinese soldiers, the Indian side moved and captured the strategically important hills in the south bank of Pangong Tso, which also come under the disputed region area. The operation was carried out on the intervening night of 28-29 August. The Indian and Chinese side remained engaged in a series of dialogues till February 2021, till they finally disengaged on both the sides of Pangong Tso. The Indian side came down from the strategic heights at south bank, whereas the Chinese went behind Finger 8, leaving back the 8 kilometre long hilly area, that they captured. 

However, the Chinese are still holding on three major points on the LAC, where they intruded illegally. The biggest Chinese intrusion has been made in Depsang Plains, where China blocked the Indian forces from patrolling in 5 traditional patrolling points of 10,11,12,12A and 13. The following patrolling points are till date blocked by Chinese forces and the discussions are no way fruitful. In the last meeting between Indian and Chinese forces, the Indian forces pitched the issue of three remaining flash points, which include Depsang plains, Gogra and Hot Springs. The Chinese forces have reportedly said that India should be happy with what has been achieved till now and not expect anymore from them. This clearly shows Chinese disinterest in disengaging from the remaining flash points and to hold on to their positions, which they have occupied by force and treachery. The Indian mainstream media has also been ignoring the news of the remaining flash points, as if the disengagement has been completed in all disputed sectors. The government officials and ministers also don't seem to pick up the issue with their Chinese counterparts, which generates the fear that the remaining flash points might easily pass away to the enemy's hand, without even a proper fight due to the lack of political will. India needs to boost up their interest back into this issue and force the government to back the Indian Army in bringing back the lost territory and achieve the status quo ante of April 2020.