Arun Joshi
Ahead of the Lieut-General-level talks with China tomorrow to convince the PLA to roll back its footprints from the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh where Chinese troops have intruded deep inside, there is little hope on the immediate delivery of results.
China has its highly fortified position in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso (lake) area and other places. This is a major headache for the Indian Army on how to make the Chinese retrace their steps without any serious situation developing between the two countries. At the moment, going by reports coming from China, there is no scope for the further escalation of the situation, and the road for the Indian objective of the Chinese vacating its territory will come only after the PLA troops return to the pre-face-off position.
Argument untenable
India has well-documented records showing Chinese intrusion into the territory where they had not ventured in such a massive strength before. Sources said the Chinese argument that India was doing construction work in the disputed territory was untenable as India had been constructing roads and bridges for the past over 12 years linking these to its border posts and airstrips.
India has well-documented records showing Chinese intrusion into the territory where they had not ventured in such a massive strength before. Sources said the Chinese argument that India was doing construction work in the disputed territory was untenable as India had been constructing roads and bridges for the past over 12 years linking these to its border posts and airstrips.
Sources said behind-the-scenes operators on this highly sensitive issue concerning the Indian sovereignty and integrity told The Tribune that 14 Corps Commander Lt-Gen Harinder Singh–led military delegation was finalising its talking points about the strategy to be adopted at the talks tomorrow. It is going to be like moves on the chess board where the rival is to be outmanoeuvered with the straight talk as also in the language wrapped in diplomatic parlance.
A veteran of such talks of international ramifications over the past few decades and a keen observer of the global affairs told The Tribune that the progress of the talks will depend how strategic pluses and minuses are forwarded and responded to (at the face to face talks). “There can be no prompting from the rear, nor does that ever happen,” he said.
While Chinese media has appreciated what it calls “strategic calmness” of India, it has also warned that India should have no “illusions” of nibbling at borders. This is seen as a strategic compulsion of China owing to the global scene as also its concerns resulting out of domestic distress because of the pandemic-stricken economy.
Courtesy: Daily Tribune:  6th June, 2020