India would continue holding talks with China with a focus on resolving the long-standing issues at Depsang Plains and Demchok which predate 2014, while working on augmenting the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with adequate infrastructure and latest technologies, top government sources told News18.com.
The military standoff at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh which began two years ago has reached a near status quo at present.
“Differences still persist over each other’s perception of LAC, even though several friction points have been resolved during the last many rounds of talks,” a highly placed source in the government said.
“At present, India’s immediate and long-term plan is to continue holding talks with China to resolve the issues which predate the current military standoff and 2014,” the source added.
The source said that Indian troops are able to access “some of the patrol points” on the LAC.
Depsang Plains and Demchok
Located at the north of eastern Ladakh and close to the Daulat Beg Oldie, which has India’s highest airstrip, the Depsang Plains lie between the Siachen Glacier and the Aksai Chin controlled by the Chinese.
Tensions in the Depsang Plains go back to the Chinese incursion in 2013. Despite positive talks between the two sides in 2013, the area never saw full disengagement. The area continues to remain a major friction point at the LAC with the Chinese blocking Indian troops’ access to patrol points 10 to 13 in Depsang from Y junction, a strategic bottleneck.
Demchok, in the southern part of eastern Ladakh, is a mutually agreed upon disputed point on the LAC, which has time and again, seen face-offs between the Indian and Chinese troops. Last year, Demchok was back in focus after some tents were erected by Chinese civilians on the Indian side of the LAC near Charding Nala in Demchok.
Aside from Depsang Bulge and Demchok, 10 other areas on the LAC were mutually agreed as disputed by India and China, including Trig Heights, Chumar, Spanggur, Mount Sajun, Dumchele, and Chumar, Kongka La, among others.
Augmenting Infra, New Tech at LAC
The impetus on augmenting the infrastructure at the northern borders during the summer months, which marks the limited working period in the Ladakh region, will continue, the source quoted above said.
“The region will be equipped with a range of modern equipment running on latest technologies, as well indigenously made systems,” the source added.
Aside from heavy weaponry such as tanks and artillery guns, new Israeli Heron drones and other indigenous surveillance equipment has been deployed at the LAC in the northern and the eastern borders of the country.
Army chief General Manoj Pande had recently said there has been significant technology upgradation at the LAC in the last two years with focus on India’s “intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and to strengthen border infrastructure and the logistics”.
There have been 15 rounds of military-level talks between India and China, which led to disengagement of troops at the northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso and the Gogra Post.
Hot Springs is yet to see full disengagement even though it was verbally agreed upon between the two sides during the 12th round of military talks last year.
In a media interaction earlier this week, newly appointed Army chief General Manoj Pande said that Beijing intends to keep the “boundary issue” alive. He had said that Indian troops continue to hold important positions along the LAC and have a firm and resolute posture to prevent any efforts to alter the status quo.
In his three-day maiden visit to Ladakh which began on Thursday, Gen Pande was briefed on the security situation along the borders, particularly eastern Ladakh.
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