India-China face-offs in ladakh worsened with a fresh incursion by Chinese troops into Chumar on Wednesday leading the Indian troops to block them. The latest intrusion took place two to three kilometre from the ongoing stand-off point between the two Armies in Tibley, known in Army parlance as 30R post.
The latest intrusion took place even as Colonel rank local commanders of both sides held a flag meeting in Spangur, ladakh. The two sides agreed to reduce the strength of their troops engaged in the face-off on 30R and the two Armies even did so. However, later in the day, China again brought more troops resulting in India also rushing in its personnel which were earlier withdrawn.
This development coincided with the latest intrusion where the Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) asked the Chinese to go back by displaying banners as mandated in the mutually agreed 2005 protocol and Border Defence Co-Operation Agreement (BDCA). The Chinese did not return to their original position and the stand-off ensued, sources said here.
As regards the flag meeting, this was the second round after the first one remained inconclusive on Monday between Brigadier-level officers of two countries. India had then insisted that China should honour the 2005 protocol to resolve the face-offs in Demchok and Chumar.
China, on the other hand, claimed that Indian troops on Sunday last intruded six kms into its territory to stop construction of a road and asked India to go back. India countered the claim and said China was trying to build the road in the Indian region and the Army was fully justified in stopping it.
At present, more than 100 Indian patrol comprising Army and ITBP and nearly 250 Chinese troops are in an eyeball to eyeball situation on 30R. This spot is at a height of more than 14,000 feet and temperatures have already dipped to minus three degrees. Officials said the two countries are likely to hold another round of talks in Spangur on Thursday to find a way out to disengage.
In Demchok, Chinese shepherds and civilians have pitched tents on a grazing ground in the Indian region for the last ten days to protest against ongoing construction of an irrigation canal. Indian shepherds also use the same pasture and have also pitched tents.A flag meeting between Major General of the 3 Mountain Division and his Chinese counterpart is likely to be held later this week to resolve the first standoff at the line of Actual Control. Earlier, incursions were reported in the demilitarized zone on the either side.