NEW DELHI: The Indian Army on Monday reported an escalation in its months-old standoff with Chinese troops, but a spokesman in Beijing claimed routing talks were underway over the disputed border.

The Hindu quoted the Indian Army as accusing Chinese troops of carrying out aggressive moves to change the status quo on the South Bank of Pangong Tso, claiming the attempts had been thwarted.

“On the night of August 29/30, 2020, PLA troops violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh and carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo,” the Army said in a statement.

It said Indian troops preempted “this PLA activity on the Southern Bank of the Pangong Tso Lake, undertook measures to strengthen our positions and thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground.”

The Hindu said a Brigade Commander-level flag meeting was in progress at Chushul to resolve the issues. The Army said it was committed to maintaining peace and tranquillity through dialogue, but was also equally determined to protect India’s territorial integrity.

The Army is not sharing any operational details at this point to maintain operational security, The Hindu said. It quoted a defence source as saying there was movement by PLA troops in the Chushul sector following which the Indian Army too repositioned its troops as a precaution “to foil any misadventure.”

Around 25 PLA soldiers intruding across the LAC were blocked by Indian troops, a defence source said. Around 100 PLA soldiers were also seen below Black Top hill just across the LAC, the source added. There was no physical clash, a second source stated.

There is already a massive build-up of troops in the area by both the sides. The area had witnessed pitched battles during the 1962 war.

Commenting on the alleged incident, spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Zhao Lijian said in Beijing: “Chinese border troops always strictly abide by the LAC. They never cross the line. Border troops on the two sides have been in close communication regarding the issues on the ground”.

Mr Zhao did not directly respond to a question on the meeting under way at Chushul to resolve the issue. “What I said is that the two sides through diplomatic and military channels maintain close communication,” he stated.

The standoff in Ladakh has been ongoing since early May and several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have failed to end the impasse. China has undertaken massive mobilisation along the LAC, and PLA troops have built structures inside Indian territory at several locations, the Indian side claims.

The first phase of disengagement undertaken in early July remains incomplete. Indian reports say. The disengagement had been, however, completed at Galwan valley and Patrolling Point (PP) 15 in Gogra-Hot springs area. However, only limited disengagement has been undertaken at PP 17A in Gogra-Hot springs and it has barely begun at Pangong Tso.

Indian reports say the Chinese troops have only moved back from the base of Finger 4, the mountain spur, to Finger 5 but continue to occupy the ridgelines of Finger 4 where India’s claim extends till Finger 8, while it has always held till Finger 4.

The Indian parliament is scheduled to meet for the Monsoon Session on Sept 10 when the opposition is pledged to raise the issue of what it claims is a timid and confusing Indian response to China.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2020