Tension with China: Indian Army chief visits Ladakh, IAF chief inspects airbases

In the backdrop of ongoing tension on the border with Ladakh, Army Chief General M.M. Naravane landed in Ladakh on Thursday to take stock of the security situation in eastern Ladakh and also to review the operational preparedness. Incidentally, the Army chief’s visit came a day after Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria made a surprise visit to forward airbases of the Eastern Air Command.

Since last Saturday, Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a eyeball-to eyeball situation in multiple locations in the southern bank of Pangong Tso in Chushul. On the intervening night of August 29-30, Indian intelligence agencies picked up the movement of over 200 PLA troops, who were trying to transgress on to the south bank of Pangong Tso.

Indian forces thwarted the PLA move to change the status quo in the area by deploying specialised troops from the Special Frontier Force. SFF is a covert unit, which comes under the Cabinet Secretariat but with operational control with Indian Army and it has large number of personnel from Tibet, who have settled in India.

The Army chief’s visit coincides with the fourth day of brigadier-level talks between Indian and Chinese armies to bring down the tempers of troops deployed in Chushul. After three consecutive days of military talks, which were “inconclusive”, the Indian delegation reached at 11am at the Chushul-Moldo Border Personnel Meeting point to put forward the Indian point of view to resolve the issue amicably.

On Thursday, the Army chief landed in Leh on a two-day visit and will be briefed by senior field commanders on the ground situation. He is also expected to visit some forward locations during his visit.

After Saturday’s incident, India and China have amassed their troops in Chushul sector. And it is learnt that Indian troops have taken control over dominant heights in the sector, close to south bank of Pangong Tso, which were placed in the “grey zone” on the Line of Actual Control. Grey zone is the disputed area, on which both sides make their claims.

Rattled by the Indian Army’s counter-incursion measure, the Chinese PLA has brought in artillery and armoured elements close to the border, which is a violation of the 1993 agreement between the two sides, explained a senior defence official. He also said that heights close to Reqin La and Rezang La were neither occupied by the Indian Army or by Chinese PLA. “But these locations are strategically important for India, as it gives view of complete Spanggur Gap, Moldo Garrison of China and also on Spanggur lake,” the officer said, adding that the Indian forces have taken control of these heights, which has irked the Chinese.

On the northern bank of Pangong Tso, the Indian Army has carried out some readjustments of Indian positions on the Indian side of LAC, as part of precautionary deployment. Chinese PLA has already made significant deployment on the ridge lines of Finger 4 of Pangong Tso by building permanent structures and even a helipad in the vicinity.

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria also made a visit at the bases in EAC, where he was apprised of the readiness state and operational preparedness of the combat units by the respective air officers commanding.

It is notable that the Indian Air Force has also deployed its assets, including frontline fighters and attack helicopters, in the eastern Ladakh sector to tackle any hostile situation. From its frontline fighters like Su-30MKI to MiG-29, the Indian Air Force has also deployed newly inducted Apache attack helicopters and Chinook strategic heavy-lift choppers.

Responding to India’s pre-emptive capture of the strategic area, the Chinese Embassy in India claimed that Indian troops “illegally trespassed” the LAC, which “damaged” peace and tranquillity along the border.

Issuing a statement, spokesperson of Chinese Embassy in India, Ji Rong said, “On August 31, Indian troops violated the consensus reached in previous multi-level engagements and negotiations between China and India, illegally trespassed the Line of Actual Control again at the southern bank of the Pangong Tso and near the Reqin Pass in the western sector of China-India border, and conducted flagrant provocations, which again stirred tension in the border areas.”