China-India standoff continues along LAC

Chumar sector in eastern Ladakh remained active with Chinese Peoples’ Liberation Army troops involved in tactical manoeuvre with the Indian Army to exercise dominance by transgressing the Line of Actual Control.

Chumar sector in eastern Ladakh remained active with Chinese Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) troops involved in tactical manoeuvre with the Indian Army to exercise dominance by transgressing the Line of Actual Control.

On Monday, the PLA reduced its strength at the 30 R point on the LAC and uprooted the seven tents it had put up last Saturday to house some 70 personnel with 17 vehicles.

The situation report indicated that around 10-15 PLA troopers were standing on Chinese side of LAC with two trucks without any face-off with Indian troops.

But the reduction of PLA on 30 R has been compensated with increase of Chinese soldiers on Point 4991 to about 95-100 troops, triple the number who were there over the weekend locked in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with some 500 Indian Army personnel. Point 4991 has a dominant view of Chumar.

It has now come to light that a division strength of PLA had exercised integrated battle some 70km away from Chumar LAC eight months ago.

The PLA exercise was conducted in “war zone concept” of the Chinese army, with real time intelligence and direct contact with the headquarters in Beijing.

According to sources in Leh, the Chinese PLA have already built a motorable track to point 4912 and are now trying to extend it to point 4991, which is close to Beijing’s perception of LAC.

“If PLA were allowed to stay at point 4991, then the Chinese would have a clear view to Indian activities in Chumar and pose to military challenge to Indian Army positions in the area,” said a South Block official The Chinese troops had a brief face-off with Indian soldiers at point 63 on Monday.

Read: Army chief defers Bhutan visit amid border feud