Lt Gen H. S. Panag (retd): India’s Fingers have come under Chinese boots. Denial won’t help us // Colonel S Dinny: How China changed status quo

NB: Our ultra-patriotic rulers, who are busy dismantling democracy and never fail to accuse their critics of being ‘anti-national’ are as usual, pulling the wool over our eyes. Here is a respected retired officer telling us how the Modi government and the military have gone into ‘denial’ about loss of territory, attributing the present situation to 'differing perceptions' about the LAC. Had these things happened under any other government, the 'pracharaks' of the Sangh would have been hysterical. Since it has been done by these over-fed theatrical performers, we are not going to hear much about it. They are as deceitful as the Chinese government: DS

The justification of “differing perceptions” is just playing into the hands of the Chinese. We are very clear about the alignment of the LAC as we have cremated/buried our comrades who were killed in action in 1962. China stopped exactly on its claim line of 1960 and our rear posts were located on this line during the ’62 War. It is the Chinese claim line that has been changing since 1950.

The situation in eastern Ladakh at the face-off points between Indian Army and the PLA–Pangong Tso, Hot Springs and Galwan river–remains unchanged from what I wrote in my last column in ThePrint. By now, the additional formations that would have been inducted by both sides to cater to escalation and further operations as per respective operational strategies, would have fully acclimatised to operate in these high-altitude regions.

Officially, both sides have been restrained in their statements and reiterated faith in diplomacy. Defence minister Rajnath Singh has said that diplomatic and military-level talks as per existing border management mechanism are in progress. While harping on “differing perceptions” about the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Singh said the Chinese presence along the LAC was in “achhi khasi sankhya (sizeable numbers). Major General-level talks have been conducted on 2 June and Lieutenant General-level, that is, talks at the level of Corps Commanders, are scheduled on 6 June.

China now has an upper hand in talks: Having seized the initiative by securing approximately 40-60 square km of Indian territory in three different areas, China will be negotiating from a position of strength and will try to impose unacceptable conditions–no further development of border infrastructure on the Indian side–to restore status quo on its own terms. If diplomacy fails, China has come prepared for a border skirmish or a limited war. India’s task is cut out. It has to ensure that status quo ante 1 April, 2020 prevails for quasi sanctification of the “un-demarcated” LAC, so that China does not advance similar claims in future to gain tactical advantage and embarrass/humiliate India at will. 

If it cannot be done diplomatically, then it must be done by force. However, rather than evolving a clear strategy and broadly sharing it with the nation, the Modi government and the military have gone into ‘denial’ about any loss of territory, attributing the present situation to differing perceptions about the LAC... read more:
https://theprint.in/opinion/indias-fingers-have-come-under-chinese-boots-denial-wont-help-us/435145/




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