After more than four months of gap, The 16th round of high-level military talks held between India and China ended on …17 Jul22. The gap between the 15th and 16th round of corps commander-level talks has been the longest ever since the standoff at Ladakh began in May 2020.
Although the situation in eastern Ladakh figured prominently in talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Bali on July 7, but the border talks held by the Army Generals resulted in nothing.
The reports say that - The focus was on resolving outstanding issues in the remaining friction points along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
The reports also claim that the aim was to cool tensions at friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in the backdrop of outstanding problems at Patrol Point-15 near Kongka La, Depsang Bulge in Daulet Beg Oldi ( DBO) sector and Charding Nullah Junction (CNJ) in Demchok sector being a sticking point in the ongoing negotiations.
Notwithstanding the above, as was expected, both sides after the talks stated that the talks were "constructive and forward-looking" .
For a layman it is really confusing as to –
What are those Friction points and what are those outstanding problems when PM says ; Koi Aaya hi Nahin .
The retired military experts with media claim that Chinese have occupied land across LAC in DBO sector region.
And now it has further enhanced the credibility of this report when Subramanian Swamy who has a reputation of being blunt and exposing many tainted ministers in the past , raised this same issue.
He said “ The government is lying about the ongoing Indo-China border disputes. He claimed that whatever is being said about no one from China entering Indian territory, is all false. They (government) keep saying that there is no intrusion, that no-one has entered or exited, but it's not true. Either the army personnel deployed there are lying to them, or they themselves think that such kind of lies should be pushed forward for whatever reasons,"
In its annual report released November 3, last year the Department of Defense of US, said that “sometime in 2020”, China built a “large 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between the Tibet Autonomous Region and Arunachal Pradesh. It also said China has been taking “incremental and tactical actions to press its claims at the LAC with India”.
It was in 2013 that a stand off between India and China took place in the Daulat Beg Oldie sector in eastern Ladakh, thereafter the next year, the two sides were once again locked in a two week stand off in the Chumar Sector of Ladakh, thereafter, in 2017, the two armies were back again facing each other in Dokhlam, when Chinese troops started constructing a road and then came the Ladakh standoff in 2020, that led to Galwan clash.
Although these skirmishes are not new as they have a long history but what is now increasingly becoming evident is China is blatantly using every opportunity to belittle India diplomatically as well as Militarily.
India’s response on the other hand is meek ; despite the tension and boycott by other nations India attended the winter Olympics at China, its trade with China is increasing, despite losing gallant soldiers at Galwan, India withdrew the troops from strategic heights that our soldiers had captured in 2020 expecting a quid pro quo.
But till today despite numerous meetings Chinese have not relented.
Criticizing yester year leaders who did not have the fortune to lead a prosperous India and one of the world’s largest armies is easy, but what is STOPPING India now ; a fourth largest economy and one of the largest professional standing armed forces to make China listen.
When Xi Ping is now desperate to show off his strength to USA and Taiwan, India also must poke at least its little finger if not on LAC atleast in POK at a critical point that may hurt China’s interests.
If China can construct a Highway through POK , it can deploy its armed forces in Gilgit region despite India’s objections, it occupies land across LAC and claims it as theirs, it supports Pakistan in UNO, then Its high time the Indian Leadership breaks its silence.
And the first step would be to tell the people of India ; where exactly are the Chinese. Have they occupied land across LAC or not.
If people are not taken into confidence, then you are making them vulnerable to propaganda and the day lid opens up, it will not only hurt your integrity but also be very damaging for the entire Nation.
The Leader must know the grave consequences of hiding the TRUTH because the ENEMY knows that you are hiding the information from your people.
Its high time we pay heed to what Lt Gen Ajay Shukla wrote in his article titled ;
" There’s a Chinese ‘storm’ coming. India needs to consider 5 factors to face this challenge".
And I would add one important consideration ; India must never shy away from displaying its annoyance, which some call ; nuisance value.
But that can only happen when the Leadership has ensured transparency.