Thanks to change of guard, status quo restored, India’s stand vindicated
India’s tough stance in dealing with People’s liberation Army of China along the line of Actual Control (lAC) during the recent standoff in Chumar in ladakh region not only led to respectable resolution of disputes, but also vindicated India’s stand like never before.
Top Government officials said the Chinese troops which intruded into Chumar in ladakh region of Jammu & Kashmir last month not only destroyed the road they constructed about 50 to 100 metres deep inside the lAC, but also removed the footprint by carrying away the debris. During the standoff last month, maximum concentration of the forces from both sides was located on the point where the PlA had constructed the road, a move strongly objected by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the Army.
The Chinese troops had also made ingress in Naku Pass around the same time in Sikkim and built about a 100 metre road inside Indian territory. They destroyed it following a strong stand taken by the Union Government and security forces.
Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a major standoff at nine points in Chumar besides Demchok in October and the issue was finally resolved through diplomatic intervention at the highest levels.
The standoff ended on September 30 with Chinese troops agreeing to revert to pre-September 1 status. During flag meetings with the Chinese troops last month to resolve the issue, India had sought pre September 10 status, but the Chinese troops obliged by reverting to pre-September 1 situation, the officials said.
Confirming the development, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval told The Pioneer, “Firm position taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi led to amicable resolution of the situation in Chumar and Demchok. Status quo ante has been restored and there is no presence of any Chinese troops in the area now.”
During a similar standoff between the security forces of the two sides in Chumar in May last year during the UPA regime, the PlA had dismantled the surveillance cameras installed by the Indian Army at a height of over 13,000 ft to keep an eye on the activities of the PlA. They, however, returned the camera after a flag meeting between the two sides. The Indian Army had also removed a camera from the area to resolve the incursion issue last year.
In the past, while one section of the Government sought aggressive stance, the other sought recourse to only diplomatic means to handle PlA. In the process, the Indian security forces stood demoralised. But with the change of guard at the Centre and strong leadership and clarity on the part of the PM, the job of the security agencies is clearly cut out, Government sources added.