India, China locked in a military stand-off in eastern Ladakh
The Indian and Chinese troops, fully armed, are locked in a tense stand-off in Eastern Ladakh, indicating that the clash on the intervening night of May 5 and 6 between the two sides is still simmering. The troops of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China are holding ground at a position on the north-bank of Pangong Tso Lake. As per the report, over 80-100 troops form what is the 'front' for the stand-off of each country.
This is just a hundred metres away from the spot where Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the small hours of May 6 and even pelted stones on each other resulting in injuries to several people on either side. Reportedly, around 1,200 troops are in a back-up location of China. India has reinforced its position militarily, the sources said.
Meanwhile, the Indian troops are at a location along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Chinese dispute Indian claims at this particular location and their troops are stationed across. The Chinese troops do not have a post at this location. Normally, they come for patrol and return.
The sources said that the matter had been ‘bubbling’ since February when the PLA stopped an Indian patrol at a location named “Finger 2” on the north bank of Pangong Tso, a 135-km glacial melt lake which straddles India and China, at an altitude of 13,000 feet. "Finger 2" is not disputed, it is held by India. The movement of the Chinese troops in this area was a red-herring for the Northern Command.
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To this, India retaliated and stopped the Chinese patrol at locations much ahead, or eastwards, of "Finger 2". Since then, the patrolling parties of either country stop the other one and ask to return. There is a protocol on such interactions and both parties are expected to return. During the stand-off, the Indian Air Force was asked to fly in a pair of Sukhoi 30 MKI after the helicopters of China were seen flying on their side. As per the existing arrangements, the fighter jets maintain a certain distance from the LAC.
-PTC News
