For the first time, India dominates strategic heights at Pangong Lake

Sep 1, 2020
New Delhi: For the first time since the India-China skirmishes began at Ladakh earlier this year, the Indian Army is dominating strategic locations on the south bank of Pangong Lake, even as China enhanced deployment of troops close to the Thakung base in Indian territory and tried to change the status quo.

In a crucial gain, India has thwarted incursion attempts by the People’s Liberation Army and thereafter got hold of mountain tops — which are advantageous positions — so that Chinese troops could not come further inside Indian territory.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had made incursions in an attempt to change the status quo after increasing deployment in areas close to ‘Black Top’ and ‘Helmet’ areas at Line of Actual Control (LAC). Thereafter, China mobilised troops close to the Indian base at Thakung, which is in Indian territory.

Thwarting the Chinese designs, India got hold of Rechin La, which is about 2.5 kilometres to 3 kilometres from Rezang La on the LAC on the Indian side.

India has expressed concerns about Chinese mobilisation close to the Indian base at Thakung.

On Tuesday, China accused India of crossing the Line of Actual Control. However, India has denied these claims.

To resolve the issue, militaries of both the countries are now engaged in a dialogue. “Brigade commanders of both the countries have been meeting for three continuous days,” said a senior government officer.

The Chinese embassy in India said Indian troops trespassed the LAC near the southern bank of the lake in an area called Rechin La.

India has said Rechin La is about 2.5 kilometres to 3 kilometres from Rezang La on LAC, on the Indian side and not on Chinese side.

A Chinese embassy spokesperson said, “On August 31st, 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 Lake 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.”

Countering the claim, a spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said, “…on 31st August, even as the ground commanders of the two sides were in discussions to de-escalate the situation, the Chinese troops again engaged in provocative action. Due to the timely defensive action, the Indian side was able to prevent these attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo.”

At Pangong Tso, China had already strengthened their positions between Finger-5 and 8. The PLA had refused to pull back eastwards from the 8-km stretch it occupied from Finger-4 to Finger-8 by building scores of new fortifications there since early May.

India has asked China to completely withdraw troops from Pangong Tso. But China refuses to budge.

The mountain spurs jutting into the lake are referred to as Fingers in military parlance.

Both the countries have been engaged in a four-month-long standoff at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh. Despite several levels of dialogue, there hasn’t been any breakthrough and the deadlock continues.IANS

Bomb threat at Coimbatore Collectorate triggers high alert; security ramped up

Chennai: A fresh bomb threat targeting the Coimbatore Collectorate triggered a major security scare, prompting an intense search operation across the government complex. The threat, received through an anonymous letter,...

Indian Navy rescues 14 countrymen from vessel on fire in Arabian Sea

New Delhi: The Indian Navy rescued 14 countrymen serving as crew members on-board a Palau-flagged tanker MT Yi Cheng 6 which caught fire in the North Arabian Sea, an official...

MHA holds talks with Meitei groups to resolve Manipur ethnic crisis

Imphal: A fresh round of dialogue between the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and members of a joint delegation of three leading Meitei-based Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)...

IAF brings 224 Indians back from Israel under Operation Sindhu

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force on Wednesday successfully evacuated 224 more Indian nationals from Israel, taking the total number of citizens brought back safely to 818, under Operation Sindhu....

No local involved in Pahalgam terror attack: Omar Abdulah

Srinagar: J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday that no local was involved in the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local Kashmiri,...

Govt seals Rs 1,982 crore deals for defence hardware to beef up Army’s counter-terror capability

New Delhi: In a significant move to strengthen the Indian Army’s operational readiness in counter-terrorism operations, the Ministry of Defence has concluded 13 contracts worth Rs 1,981.9 crore under the...

Three top Maoists killed in encounter with police in Andhra

Visakhapatnam: Three top leaders of CPI(Maoist) were killed in an exchange of fire with police in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju district on Wednesday. The exchange of fire between the...

Indian students evacuated from Tehran, some moved out of country via Armenia: MEA

New Delhi: Indian students in Tehran have been relocated from the city, and some Indian nationals have been assisted in leaving the country through the border with Armenia, the Ministry...

Dassault CEO trashes Pakistan’s claims on downing Rafale jets

New Delhi: Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has dismissed as "factually incorrect" Pakistan’s claims about having shot down three Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force during...

Shoot at sight order in Dhubri district to maintain peace and harmony: Assam CM

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has issued a “shoot at sight” order in the Dhubri district for those who try to disturb communal peace and harmony in the...

Bengal violence: Police arrest 18 in Maheshtala, situation tense

Kolkata: Tension prevailed in the Maheshtala area of South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, as police crackdown on protesters continued on Thursday. So far, 18 have been arrested. The arrests...

Chhattisgarh ASP killed in Maoist-planted IED blast, several cops injured

Raipur: Maoists detonated an improvised explosive device that claimed the life of Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Rao Giripunje of Konta Division in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. State Home Minister...

Read Previous

Kafeel Khan released from jail at midnight

Read Next

Khairtabad Ganesh in a truck proceeding for immersion at Tank bund( Hussain Sagar lake ), in Hyderabad on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com