Leh/New Delhi: Indian and Chinese troops recently had two face-offs along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, in the same area where People’s Liberation Army had pitched camps in April 2013 leading to a three-week long stalemate.
According to officials in the know of developments, the Chinese troops came to Burtse and Depsang areas in North of Ladakh, first on March 20 and then on March 28, apparently as part of attempts to reach Old Patrol Point, the last established base of Indian security forces.
The PLA troops made attempts to push the Indian troops back but these were thwarted, they said. Vigilant Indian troops displayed the banners in Chinese asking the PLA to return to their side, the officials said.
Ever since this incident, the Indian troops have been carrying out regular patrols to higher points along the LAC to keep check on movement of the PLA.
India and China share over 4,000 km of LAC. China claims approximately 90,000 sq km of territory in Arunachal Pradesh besides 38,000 sq km in Jammu and Kashmir sector.
The area where the Chinese troops came had seen 21 days standoff between PLA and Indian Army in April 2013 which took place ahead of the then Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to India. It was sorted out after hectic round of negotiations following which the Chinese troops withdrew.
China has been in denial mode over repeated incursions by the PLA. During the 2013 incident, then then spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence Colonel Geng Yansheng had said that such issues happen because the boundary line has not been demarcated and both sides have different interpretation on the Line of Actual Control.
China has been eyeing this area as it gives advantage to India to overlook the Karakoram highway linking territory illegally occupied by China with Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.
Besides, India has an Advanced Ground Landing (AGL) facility in Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) which was activated in August 2013 and Indian Air Force had managed to land a C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft at the air strip located at 16614 feet above sea level.
