Galwan valley clash rife with ramifications in J&K

Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 16

The clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan valley — one of the major flashpoints in eastern Ladakh in which both sides suffered casualties on Monday — could threaten escalation in the cross-LoC firing by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

Since the LoC and LAC fall under the Northern Command, the situation is being analysed to study the consequences and responses.

The Galwan valley clashes have offset the calculations of early end to the standoff in Ladakh, and at the same time its ramifications on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, too, is being figured out. Pakistan has been causing trouble at the LoC in its desperation to push in armed militants to keep the temperature high in the Valley, where about 100 militants have been killed in encounters in recent months with security forces.

Apart from this concern, what is quite disturbing is that Galwan valley incident(s) have disturbed the peace of Ladakh where the people has assured themselves that everything would be fine soon with India and China holding military and diplomatic-level talks to end the standoff situations in the eastern part of the region.

It may halt or cause temporary suspension of the development and people-friendly moves in Ladakh where the government wanted it to become a model of peace and development for the rest of the nation after having made it a Union Territory in October last year.

While China is playing out its own games at the flashpoint theatres where both sides are testing the nerves of each other, Pakistan is desperate to push infiltrators taking advantage of the Indian Army’s commitment in Ladakh and melting of snow on the mountainous passes through which the LoC passes.

The latest LAC situation has made the Army look at the situation on the two borders quite closely, and prepare for the adequate response to keep the situation under its control.

Pakistan has made it a habit to violate the November 2003 ceasefire almost on daily basis. It has been seeking to infiltrate the militants under the fire cover, and the firing is targeted at the Army posts and civilians in border villages. The possibility of Pakistan increasing its hostile activities on the LoC has come under a closer scrutiny of the Army. It doesn’t want to give Pakistan any advantage of the situation with which the Army is faced in eastern Ladakh at the moment.

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