Ladakh Flash Point
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So much noise coming from Indian side again. Contradictory information but only Shukla taking the "PLA has invaded" position. If what Shukla says is more correct, it is just activity taking place in the remaining dispute. It is no different to before Shukla's claim albeit with different shifts in specific positions. If there are "clashes" they are basically just PLA and IA movements within the 20%, potentially with confrontation between the two. Indian military officially denied this publicly. China has not issued a challenge to Indian statement. I would think Shukla is either totally wrong about this particular matter or wrong about the specifics.
Maybe no clashes and violence occurred but there is movement by one or both sides within the remaining dispute (so same old). Indian military did very specifically say no clashes happened. They didn't specify anything about movement.
Maybe no clashes and violence occurred but there is movement by one or both sides within the remaining dispute (so same old). Indian military did very specifically say no clashes happened. They didn't specify anything about movement.
I believe confrontation happened. I don't think we can take the word of Indian military, Ajay Shukla or Chinese military here.
Let's look at what impetus is there for Ajai Shukla to insist on a clash. He says that China's military came to the bend violating the buffer disengagement and clashed with Indians who moved in after Chinese. His statements only paint China as the aggressor here. Further, he also claims that there were injuries.
Indian Army could've not denied this and kept silence atleast. That would mean China is painted as aggressor. But they denied. So Indian Army has avoided an opportunity to throw Dirt at China.
Maybe India want the current talks in other regions to be resolved and have chose to not inflame the tensions. As for the instigation, Indian camps seem to have moved from 2.25 km from to bend to 1.45 km. We don't know the dynamics of the clash so here it's better to avoid the details of the story from one side.
We should be taking official word first because they are held to a higher standard and scrutinised to a higher standard. If they lied, they'd be called out by the other and possibly even others. I wouldn't take Shukla's word here.
Chinese military and government hasn't issued a statement on this matter. My guess would be that shifts of position happened and maybe the two forces met and talked and maybe even shoved around for a bit. Shukla always says China is aggressor despite all this stuff being about and taking place within the remaining legacy dispute - therefore the word aggressor cannot truly apply to either side.
I don't recall any buffer agreement including the bend in Galwan valley. Both forces have been present there since the beginning of the clash and moving back and forth etc.
There is a buffer zone in Galwan. 3 km wide. 1.5 km equidistant from a point.
A clash means this buffer zone has broke down albiet momentarily.
I was only aware of a buffer zone being set up on Pangong fingers. But that buffer including Galwan valleys where those early clashes occurred makes sense. Basically all the main original confrontation zones.
I still find Shukla's claims to be questionable. He's the only one saying this at the moment and not a hint from anyone else, only efforts to put his claim into question - India officially denying his claims about something that is easily disproven. You can claim one of your soldiers singlehandedly killed a dozen enemy soldiers with his bare hands or you can claim impossible to prove things like your enemies using iron bars and hunting your men down to kill. But something of this nature is difficult and irredeemably embarrassing if you are caught lying. Which makes me believe the Indian government isn't lying about no clashes happening. Notice though they didn't deny movements or shifts in position, just clashes.
Shukla has indeed said plenty of inaccurate and untruthful things in the past as well to provoke and gaslight both sides. His total lack of objectivity on the dispute matter is a hint to his ways. I wouldn't bother too much with his material unless it is corroborated by official testimonies/statements and clearer resolution of situations materialise.
If there is indeed Chinese action, they would have shifted strategies and it probably would be to capture the remaining dispute. India initiated action would be for similar reasons. If it is just moves to strengthen a position, then it isn't that much of a piece of news. More indication of both sides choosing to just camp within the 20% in the proposed aim of "defending" against the "aggressor". Effectively not much different than before any alleged moves, albeit with new positions.
If the intention by initiator was in fact to capture, expect this to escalate.
I don't find his claims questionable at all. And the only ones he seem to trigger are a specific breed of nationalist Indians.
He is nationalist but of a different flavor. Ironically, the nationalism expounded by those against him within India helps China more than anything. I don't think AS has had a bad record regarding information or a record of telling lies. Many of the important details that were used to evaluate the border clash and changes there were Ajai Shukla's contribution. The faults I found for him were for the inaccurate map he used in the beginning.
I have distrust of official releases. I followed the India-Pakistan Feb 2019 clash and I got a good view of how India ( and ofc Pakistan) maneuver "officially" when in conflict. Pakistan F-16 being shot down, Nothing happened to Indian helicopter, 100+ casualties in Pakistan strikes...
Even the moon landing failure where they said its 99% success and hesitancy to divulge details.
Regarding Buffer Zones - Galwan has a buffer zone and its likely that there was a momentary breakdown. It's not impossible.
@Xsizor bro maybe he is paid to say those thing to stir trouble, to push the gov't to act? Here in the Philippine there are a lot of fake news about China activities in the SCS urging Duterte to act against the so called Chinese invasion.
You're right on being distrustful of official narratives BUT in this case, this would be such a high profile lie if exposed. They will not be lying about such a thing lightly. Shukla has been wrong and his position and attitude is extremely nationalistic and politically motivated. He constantly launches political attacks on BJP. While I don't involve personal attitudes here, be mindful of this fact. He isn't motivated by truth, he is motivated by nationalism and politics. While many of his statements have been relatively accurate, many also are not and if not entirely untrue/unfair, they are greatly exaggerated. This applies to his attacks on China and his attacks on India's government.
I didn't claim India's government is reliable and information offered is infallible. I said this particular piece of information is too easily disproved and challenged, it makes it far less likely that it is something the Indian government would want to lie about. It brings them no advantage to lie about such a thing. Having said that, I believe positions are moving and confrontations may have happened between forces but clashes are being denied by India. Clashes denied, not movement or confrontation.
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"Desperation grows for those unable to access subsidised food, as worst hunger in two decades reported"...I really don't understand Indians and India's obsession with China or it's pretentions that's it's relative power and strength is somehow on par to that of it's neighbour which is China. The amount of money it spends on it's defense/military would have been better spent on strengthening it's economic vitality and other strategic sectors that's essential for India to leverage the advantages it has like the population surplus and actually working to partner with it's neighbors like the RCEP and other trade deals. But no, the country instead is spending what little money it has on it's military industrial complex as it tries to attached itself to the American led QUAD alliance to constrain/contain China which is a hoot.
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