Ladakh Flash Point
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After a winter lull, Chinese troops have again crossed the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh at several places, government sources say. And there has been at least one clash between the two sides, say sources operating in that sector.
During winter 2020-2021, the PLA had thinned out or withdrawn from many of the positions it had occupied on the Indian side of the LAC in the summer of 2020.
With the two armies again facing off at multiple points, there is apprehension of renewed clashes.
Military sources say the PLA has deployed at least one, and probably two, regiments of S-400 air defence missiles, which would drastically erode India’s superiority in air power.
Pangong Lake sector
There is increased PLA troop activity and deployment of modern equipment and artillery in the north bank of Pangong Lake (NBPL), especially at Sirijap. Indian assessments suggest there are three PLA battalions stationed here. About three dozen new artillery pieces have also been spotted here.
Indian ground reports say that, in the year since June 2020, China has strengthened several of its positions, especially Rutog, which is just south of the eastern tip of Pangong Lake.
The PLA has deployed radar on tactically dominating positions, and constructed helipads, sites for surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and places for armoured vehicles. This area is well connected with roads to Ngari prefecture.
Depsang – Daulet Beg Oldi (DBO)
A big build-up of Chinese soldiers is in the Depsang – DBO sector, located at the foot of the Karakoram Pass – India’s northern tip. This sector was patrolled by Indian soldiers until spring 2020. But since April last year, the PLA has blocked Indian troops from going to their Patrolling Points (PPs) 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13.
New Delhi assesses that Depsang is the central Chinese objective. It provides Indian soldiers with a route to Road G-219 – China’s sensitive Western Highway that connects Tibet with Xinjiang. It also provides the PLA and the Pakistan Army with complementary thrust lines on which they can simultaneously advance and link up. This would cut off India’s northern tip, including the Karakoram Pass, DBO and the Siachen Glacier sector.
To outnumber and outgun India’s troops in the DBO sector, the PLA is holding positions 15 km deep inside India’s border. The PLA has already brought up its newest and most modern tanks, artillery and air defence systems on its own side of the LAC.
Galwan River sector
In the Galwan River sector, the terms of disengagement, which the two armies negotiated on June 30, 2020, regard the LAC as running through the so-called Y-Nallah Junction. This is actually a full kilometre inside India, compared with the LAC’s historical alignment next to PP-14, which the Indian Army has patrolled for decades. Now PP-14 effectively falls inside China’s “buffer zone”.
Gogra/Hot Springs
In the Gogra/Hot Spring sector, South of Galwan, the PLA has refused to withdraw since the time it crossed the LAC here in May 2020. Chinese troops remain deployed in the vicinity of India’s sensitive Gogra Post and are still deployed in numbers near PP 17A, half a kilometre inside Indian-claimed territory.
There is a massive Chinese build up across the LAC from Gogra, extending from PP17 to PP23. These Chinese troops, artillery, air defence weaponry and heavy vehicles can move deeper into Indian territory at very short notice.
Pangong Lake sector
The PLA has withdrawn to the east of Finger 8, and the area between Finger 4 and Finger 8 remains demilitarised. However, this could rapidly change, since the PLA has a large concentration of troops and weaponry in Sirijap, just east of Finger 8.
On the South Bank of the Pangong Lake, Chinese troops have reportedly reoccupied the positions on the Kailash Range, such as Black Top and Helmet, which they had vacated. This pre-emptive step has made it extremely difficult for the Indian Army to re-occupy the dominating positions it held on the Ladakh Range.
I'm glad that my observations were right regarding points of tension. ( except for the Pangong Tso). I'm also glad he ought up the PP17 to PP23. I'd like to know the locations of these PPs.
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Ajai Shukla caught lying again. Nothing new to see here, as his claims have all been debunked by satellite imagery
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What kind of professional journalist behave like this?
Good find. Only helps Mr. Ajai Shukla case.
Let's see their rebuttals. Point by point.
BTW, going through the tweet replies, it seems like this isn't the original statement of Indian Army and he has this statement typed out in some kind of 'Notes' application.
In any case, merely insisting that something is wrong without going into the details and doing a comprehensive rebuttal mean those who are looking for an objective appraisal of the matter be left disappointed.
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Outer Mongolia declared its independence in 1926. It was recognized as an sovereign state independent form China by the republic of China in 1945. The PRC had no say in it.
The burden of proof is always on the claimant. For example, he has been contradicted by literally all other sources on pps past 17. Even other anti-Modi veterans like HS Panag have debunked his claims and asserted that the standoff points were 15-17a.
On a side note, his claim about PLA withdrawing in the winter actually corroborates the Indua Today report on PLA withdrawing from Hot Springs.
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Outer Mongolia is nearby Ladakh? That discussion was OT, let's drop it together.
@Xsizor bro what is amazing is that the Indian Army had branded his report as fake news and other Indian journalist highlighted it. I think Ajaj Shukla is not popular among the Indian establishment and his peers.
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