By Lt Col Manoj K Channan (Retd)
The 11th round India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting was held at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on 09 April 2021. In this marathon 11 hours (significantly shorter than the usual talks which would get more than at 2.30 AM) it seems that there is a stalemate on the present deployment of the PLA and the Indian Army. The statement issued by the government does not reveal significantly on what was discussed in the marathon talks which began at 10.30 AM regional time and ended at 11.30 PM regional time. The PLA in a graduated manner of disengagement appears to have gained an upper hand for the moment as the Indian Army below the political directions (most almost certainly advised by the Ministry of External Affairs) vacated the Kailash Range. The solution to occupy remains, but escalation is anticipated by the PLA and it is Hobson’s decision.
It is learnt that India has produced it clear that pulling back troops from friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh could be completed only right after the Chinese army ‘disengages’ from regions like Gogra, Hot Springs and the Depsang plains. So far, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has been inflexible to this suggestion.
The Ministry of Defence has released its statement “It was highlighted that completion of disengagement in other areas would pave the way for two sides to consider de-escalation of forces and ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity and enable progress in bilateral relations.”
While the eyeball to eyeball speak to and pull back has been a step in the correct path, the CCP/PLA apparently has been capable to do its salami-slicing and is in no hurry to go into a “hot war” mode to reach its territorial gains. The government compulsions by different challenges to incorporate the pandemic, financial slowdown, elections required its focussed interest. The LAC intrusions have been left to external affairs minister Dr Jai Shankar to manage and as suspected the military is relegated to play the second fiddle. The Army would have had no decision against the government priorities.
The escalation at the LAC is noticed as a positive step also as it has awakened the Indian Higher Defence Organisation to wake up to the genuine elephant in the space which is China and not Pakistan.
India could not be capable to match China in the allocation of spending budget to the Defence Services and match in combat platforms land, air and sea to incorporate sub-surface, it desires a significantly-focused strategy to restructuring and optimisation of its sources to have a decisive edge wherever the benefit can be exploited.
The QUAD and hope that the US will ally with India to include the Chinese Juggernaut, had been dashed as the US dismissed India’s objections to US Freedom of Navigation operations against India’s maritime claims by saying the US does FONOPs against ‘excessive’ maritime claims of nations about the globe, buddy & foe.
Will the PLA Navy adhere to suit and what will be our method is some thing that has the CDS/ DMA would be working quite closely with the MEA and MoD, hopefully, to counter such moves by friendly and not so friendly Navies.
India will have to recognize that National Security is some thing that it has to deal with by itself. There are no buddies who will fight our battles irrespective of whether it be the Pandemic, Economy or our territorial borders / EEZ.
(The author is Indian Army Veteran. Views expressed are individual and do not reflect the official position or policy of TheSpuzz Online.)