NEW DELHI: One year after the disengagement of troops between India and China at the two remaining face-off locations in Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh, there is still no tangible de-escalation on the ground. The opposing armies are poised to remain forward deployed for the sixth consecutive winter in the challenging high-altitude environment. The military strategy, amidst ongoing diplomatic efforts, aims to manage tensions and “maintain peace and tranquillity” along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC), which extends from eastern Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. Nevertheless, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues its persistent infrastructure development along the border. During the 23rd round of corps commander-level discussions at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point in eastern Ladakh on October 25, “both sides agreed to continue utilizing existing mechanisms to address any ground issues along the border to ensure stability,” as stated by the external affairs ministry on Wednesday. This marked the first meeting of the “general-level mechanism” in the western sector of the LAC since the 24th round of special representatives talks between national security advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in August of this year. The meeting, which took place between the Indian 14 Corps commander and the chief of the South Xinjiang Military District, was conducted in “a friendly and cordial atmosphere.” The two parties “acknowledged the progress” made since their 22nd round of discussions a year prior and “shared the perspective that peace and tranquility have been upheld in the border regions,” according to the MEA. The troop disengagement at Depsang and Demchok, along with the “coordinated patrolling” by the opposing forces in that area, has indeed diminished the likelihood of clashes and unintended escalations. However, the trust deficit remains significant, sources indicated. The process of de-escalation and the subsequent withdrawal of troops will necessitate the return of all additional forces to their permanent peacetime positions, as well as the restoration of the status quo that existed prior to April 2020.
Following an initial state of surprise, India deployed over 50,000 troops to eastern Ladakh, accompanied by heavy weaponry such as tanks, howitzers, and surface-to-air missile systems, in response to multiple incursions by the PLA into the region during April and May of 2020. A similar strategy of ‘mirroring’ troop deployments was observed in the eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal) and middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal) sectors of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). According to a source, ‘More than five years later, there have been some reductions in troop numbers, which typically occur during the winter months. However, the majority of troops from both sides remain stationed in their positions. There exists a tense tranquility.’ The ongoing extensive infrastructure development by China along the LAC, which enables it to rapidly deploy additional troops and weaponary to forward positions at a significantly faster rate than India, continues to be a significant concern. Additionally, China has stationed more fighters, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, and drones at its airbases facing India, including Hotan, Kashgar, Gargunsa, Shigatse, Bangda, Nyingchi, Lhunze, and Hoping, following upgrades that included new and extended runways, fortified shelters, and enhanced fuel and ammunition storage facilities, as reported.
The restoration of patrolling rights in regions where “no patrol buffer zones” were created to India’s detriment following earlier rounds of disengagement until September 2022 has yet to occur. It was intended that there would be merely “a temporary moratorium” on patrolling within these buffer zones located at Galwan, the northern bank of Pangong Tso, the Kailash Range, and the broader Gogra-Hot Springs area, which range from 3 kilometers to 10 kilometers, primarily established in what India regards as its own territory.
