Biggest impasse in 53 yrs, but resolution might be in sight

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 7

Even as the Indian security establishment is assessing the cause and motivation behind the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) move along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, one thing is evident — the current standoff has no parallel in the past over 53 years.

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The magnitude of the development — in terms of number of troops, armour and guns — is way bigger than 2013, 2014 and 2017 standoffs.

Despite the escalation, Lt Gen SL Narsimhan (retd), member of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), told The Tribune: “Reading into the happenings of the past few days, there is a possible resolution in sight.” The General refused to set a timeline, saying “that cannot be guessed”, but termed the tone and tenor as “reconciliatory”.

Beijing with its resources can station troops at the present locations, but whether it wants to do so is the big question, said a senior serving officer.

The PLA first held ground in 2013 at Raki Nallah in Depsang Plains, followed by Chumur in Ladakh in September 2014. It tried to take over a ridge in Bhutan in 2017, but the Indian Army resisted and the PLA withdrew.

India at the meeting yesterday showed maps and previous claim and holding positions along the LAC to the PLA. An appreciation of the same will be done at Beijing.

PLA is not deployed along the LAC, but they can change tactics. Winter, starting from early October, can be harsh but that will not be a hindrance if PLA wants to stay on, is the assessment on the Indian side.

Annually, some 500 face-offs occur along the LAC which is not demarcated on ground. The troops, return on encountering each other in disputed areas.

The 2020 stand off, is the biggest since  the 1967 stand off at Nathu La in Sikkim which resulted in 3-4 day skirmish.  The ‘History of the Conflict with China. 1962’,  released for ‘restricted’ circulation by the MoD in March 1993, records the event and says “They (China) had lost 400 men killed or wounded as compared to Indian loss of 65 killed and 145 wounded.”  In 1975 four men of Assam rifles were killed when they accidentally crossed the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh.