Ladakh situation 'stable but unpredictable', need to focus on China's actions: Indian Army chief
India has been consistently maintaining that peace and tranquility along the LAC were key for the overall development of the bilateral ties. Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande said that the situation in the region is “stable but unpredictable”.
FollowIndian Army Chief General Manoj Pande described the situation as "stable but unpredictable" during the ongoing border stalemate with China in eastern Ladakh. He also said that the Indian side is looking forward to the next round of high-level military discussions with China to resolve the outstanding concerns in a speech to a think tank. The development comes amid the nearly 30-month standoff between the Indian and Chinese troops in the high-altitude region.
“We are looking at a date for the 17th round of talks,” he said. He noted that there has been no appreciable decrease in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) force levels.
The Army chief stated that China is continuing to build infrastructure around its borders. He said, "Our change to winter posture is ongoing," when questioned about the military readiness of the Indian Army in the area.
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In order to protect our interests and sensibilities, General Pande said that "our actions on Line of Actual Control (LAC) must be calibrated extremely carefully)." He noted that there was no reduction in the number of troops of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the region.
The Army chief further said, “We all know what the Chinese say and what they do is quite different. It is also a part of their nature and character. We need to focus on their actions rather than what is on their texts or scripts or their articulation."
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On September 8, the Indian and Chinese military stated that they had begun the disengagement process from the PP-15, marking a significant advancement in the delayed effort to withdraw soldiers from the last remaining flashpoints in the area. On July 17, there was the 16th round of high-level military negotiations, which resulted in the September pullout from Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings region.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated on Thursday that normal relations between India and China depend on stability in the border regions and clear communication from New Delhi to Beijing. Following a bloody altercation near Pangong Lake on May 5, 2020, the eastern Ladakh border standoff broke out.
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