Last Updated on November 17, 2020 at 2:48 pm
Daulet Beg Oldi sector witnessed snow last night. As a consequence, the temperature all along the 1,597-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) in East Ladakh has gone negative with wind adding to the cold temperature.
The Indian army troops have not moved an inch from their positions at all the conflicted areas and are standing up to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) since May this year In spite of the odd conditions. Even though some reports have contemplated that both the nations have decided to de-escalate and disengage troops with no patrolling zones at conflicted regions, still there is no change in troop position or Indian armour on ground. By now, eight rounds of talks on disengagement and de-escalation have taken place between India and China. However, these talks have not yielded any favourable results.
The Indian troops are covered in snow tents and igloos while the PLA is facing them in containers across the LAC. The Border Roads Organization has decided to keep all the high mountain passes – Chang La (17585 feet on road to Pangong Tso), Marsimika La (18314 feet near Hot Springs) and Khardung La (17582 feet, on road to DBO) – open for army movement throughout the winter. The Indian Army is fully deployed on the LAC along with the specialized forces.
A top military commander said that all the reports about agreed step by step disengagement and de-escalation are just speculations as the negotiations are still going on at the military commanders level and nothing is finalised. The position of the Indian army is not changed. He said that they are high on morale and ready to take on challenges posed by the PLA and the unpleasant weather.
A Top diplomat and a former Army Chief both said that any real disengagement on the LAC is not expected to be achieved easily as both the troops are testing each other’s capability and capacity to survive and stand up against the deteriorating weather. It is like a staring game in which the first one who blinks loses.
The Chinese troops are also holding up on their side of the LAC and detaining their positions at South Pangong Tso, North Pangong Tso and on Gogra-Hot Springs with build up of troops across the DBO sector. Available inputs point out that the PLA is in strength at the friction point at finger four on Pangong Tso and at the base camp in the Galwan while rotating their troops continuously.
