Increase in troops deployment by China at Ladakh China Border
On Wednesday, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin claimed: “The situation on the ground continues to cool down and de-escalate”. Images captured by space firm Maxar Technologies on July 29, suggest that contrary to claims made by its foreign ministry, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) after the earlier partial withdrawal from finger four has not moved back any further.
Fresh high-resolution satellite images reviewed by India Today indicate that there are no signs of immediate normalcy at Ladakh’s Pangong Tso, as the Chinese army continues to increase its deployments at finger five and six.
Earlier India Today reported that PLA had initiated a partial withdrawal from the road level areas but continued to hold the top ridge lines at finger four. The PLA still seems to be holding the top ridgeline positions at finger four.
New images explicitly shows additional build up by the PLA at finger five and finger six along the Pangong Lake. The additional infrastructure includes prefabricated huts, new tents and storage at finger six.
At finger five, which is closer to the point of confrontation, the PLA has raised additional tents. Chinese floating dock and boats at finger five are also captured in the satellite imagery.
However, new Images show that the disengagement process remains in place at the Galwan river valley, where PLA earlier moved back from the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Satellite images from the Galwan river valley, taken on July 23rd, show that the PLA troops have been following the disengagement so far.
India’s ministry of external affairs has contradicted the claims made by the Chinese, “some progress has been made, but disengagement process not yet been completed. We expect that Chinese side will sincerely work with us for complete disengagement and de-escalation,” MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
The border tension between India and China has not ended despite the latter claiming to have completely disengaged from the disputed region of eastern Ladakh. India was, reportedly, not too happy with the situation at Pangong Tso, where the Chinese troops came in nearly 8 km west of the Line of Actual Control (LAC)
Ladakh China Border
The MEA spokesperson said the senior commanders of the two militaries will be meeting in the “near future” and work out steps to “sincerely” engage for “complete disengagement and de-escalation” and “full restoration” of peace and tranquillity in the border areas at the “earliest” as agreed during talks between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
“As we have stated earlier, the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is the basis of our bilateral relationship,” Srivastava said.
Read India disputed over chinese claim of disengagement at Ladakh China Border
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