The Chinese military today, i.e., Tuesday, July 7, 2020 removed temporary infrastructure and have moved back 1-1.5 kms from the face-off sites in Hot Springs and Gogra in Eastern Ladakh for the second consecutive day.
Gogra and Hot Springs are the key critical points where Chinese and Indian Army troops were keeping a strict vigil one each other. The mutual disengagement is likely to be completed in the next few days.
The disengagement process started yesterday, i.e., Monday. July 6, 2020, after the National Security Advisor of India – Ajit Doval spoke to the Foreign Minister of China – Wany Yi on Sunday, i.e., July 5, 2020 over phone for 2 ½ hours. During the call, they mutually agreed on withdrawal of troops, which can result into better negotiations between the 2 nations.
Once this disengagement is complete, India and China will hold next level of talks. Meanwhile, India Army is not lowering its guard and is completely alert to any mischief by the Chinese military.
Both the nations will create a minimum buffer zone of 3 kilometres in most of the areas where they are locked in a standoff. Besides, Chinese military has already removed tents and withdrew its personnel from patrolling point 14 in Galwan Valley. Troops have also started moving from Pangong Tso.
The tension between the 2 nations have been rising since May 5, 2020 when soldiers of both sides clashed on the banks of Pangong Tso, leaving several soldiers of both sides injured. Pangong Tso is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas, situated at a height of about 4,350 mts. It is 134 kms. long and extends from India to the Tibetan Autonomous Region, China. Later, on the night of June 15, 2020, 20 Indian soldiers were martyred in violent clashes that broke-out during the de-escalation process near the Patrolling Point 14 in the Galwan Valley between the Indian soldiers and Chinese troops. The Indian and Chinese troops clashed with rods and stones.
As per the latest updates, more than 60 companies of the paramilitary force are being deployed all along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Of this, 40 companies have already reached border battalion camps in various States and the troops are undergoing acclimatisation and Coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantine before they are sent to forward bases. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, is also considering a plan of forwarding 8-9 fresh battalions with an operational strength of 1,000 people.
In the wake of this stand-off, India fast-tracked delivery of the last batch of the U.S. built Apache attack choppers. The last batch of 5 choppers arrived in India after the Government exempted Boeing from the mandatory quarantine rules. The team assembled the 5 choppers and had flown it to the Pathankot Air Base after being flight-tested, for deployment in Ladakh.
