Thwarted by Indian Army along LAC, China deploys militia squads in eastern Ladakh

As the Indian Army continues to foil all attempts by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army near eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control, Beijing shifts to a different tactic to transgress into Indian territory – militia squads. Reports have claimed that China has deployed as many as five militia squads for rapid response in the area and to “consolidate the border stabilise Tibet region”. “The militia is basically a reserve force of the Chinese People Liberation Army. They are deployed during war time situations and help the PLA in its military operations,” news agency IANS quoted a senior government official as saying. The source also said that the Chinese militia carried out independent operations and provided manpower and combat support to replenish the PLA troops. “It is an irregular mix of mountaineers, boxers, members of local fight clubs and others. Most of the members are raised from the local population,” the official added. China reportedly started their incursion attempts only after the deployment of the militias along the LAC. The PLA has made aggressive incursions into Indian territory near Pangong Tso late in eastern Ladakh to alter the status quo in the region. But, an alert Indian Army was already stationed at those heights to thwart China’s misadventures. The Chinese army had violated the military and diplomatic consensus on the intervening night of August 29-30 and carried out provocative movements in eastern Ladakh even as de-escalation dialogues were going on between the two countries. “Indian troops pre-empted this PLA activity on the Southern Bank of Pangong Tso lake, undertook measures to strengthen our positions and thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground. The Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquility through dialogue, but is also equally determined to protect its territorial integrity,” the Indian government had said in a statement.