New Delhi: Even as efforts are underway to diffuse the border tensions between India and China at the Line of Actual Control near eastern Ladakh, China has proposed that if the Indian Army steps back from the Finger 4 area of Pangong lake, then the China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) too will step back the same distance.
India has rejected this proposal and has demanded that China restore status quo in all areas of eastern Ladakh on the border.
In April, the PLA troops reached Tibet on the pretext of conducting exercises, it violated the LAC and built several infrastructures in many places. Apart from troops, tanks, aircraft and other weapons were also deployed in those areas. Since then, the Indian Army and Air Force troops have been stationed at LAC for the past three months.
According to sources, China has said that it is ready for disengagement in Finger 4 area of Pangong lake but India will have to remove its Army and weapons from this area. In return, China said they will also remove an equal amount of soldiers and weapons back from the area.
India has completely rejected China's proposal and asked it to go to the old position behind Finger 8.
India is also raising the point about Chinese violating the 1993-1996 agreements between both sides which prohibits construction of any kind.
The Indian side is firm that the Chinese should first disengage and then the two sides can discuss de-escalation from Eastern Ladakh and Depsang Plains and Daulat Beg Oldi areas.
India and China have been engaged in a dispute since April-May when the Chinese moved troops along the Eastern Ladakh sector transgressing in multiple areas like Finger, Galwan valley, Gogra heights, and Hot Springs.
Meanwhile, intelligence agencies believe that China does not intend to retreat from the Pangong area and is pretending to be a conversation while it strengthens its military in the region.
In view of this, the Indian Army and Air Force are also strengthening its military preparedness. The troops have been instructed to be vigilant at all times and to be fully prepared to give a befitting reply to any daring move made by Chinese troops.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the overall security scenario in eastern Ladakh on Saturday. The meeting was attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.
All aspects of the dispute were discussed in the meeting and the future course of approach in dealing with the situation was also deliberated upon. The meeting took place just two days after India and China held a fresh round of diplomatic talks to resolve the border row.
According to intelligence report, China has increased its surveillance on the central sector of the Indian Army amid its border tension with India on Thursday. China has upgraded its surveillance system on the other side of Tun-Jun-La near Barahoti in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. India's border is till Tun-jun-la, three kilometres ahead of Barahoti.
Tensions between the two sides escalated after the violent face off in the Galwan Valley at Ladakh on June 15, 2020 in which 20 Indian Army soldiers were killed.
