India has asked China to refrain from violating airspace close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh to avoid escalation of tension in the region. This issue was flagged during a meeting between military delegations of the two sides at the border earlier this week.
The Indian team comprising Army and IAF officers expressed concern over recent flying activities by Chinese air force near the LAC on its side in late June and early July, sources said here on Friday adding the parleys took place on Tuesday.
The need for raising this matter by New Delhi came after one Chinese jet reportedly came very close to the LAC and the IAF had to scramble its jets to thwart any possible threat. These violations took place during the annual Chinese military exercise in the Tibetan plateau region in the last two months.
Sources said India and China discussed ways to better establish understanding to manage air space and avoid air space violations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This was discussed during the routine Confidence Building Measures (CBM) talks on the ground held on Tuesday. The Indian delegation was led by a Major General.
The two sides also promised to adhere to the pacts between the two countries as part of confidence building measures to avoid any escalation at the LAC.
As per existing agreements between India and China, operation of fighter aircraft and armed helicopters is restricted to a distance of ten kms on each side of the LAC.
According to the ‘Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the LAC in India-China Border Area’ of 1996, “combat aircraft (to include fighter, bomber, reconnaissance, military trainer, armed helicopter and other armed aircraft) shall not fly within 10 km of the LAC.”
The LAC is not fully demarcated and there are differences of perception on the alignment due to which such incidents keep happening, they said.
Given the continuing face-offs at some friction points at the LAC in Eastern Ladakh for the past two years and violent incidents in May 2020, the IAF has activated nearly all its forward bases facing China. Moreover, it has deployed most of its front line jets including SU-30,Mirage and even the recently inducted Rafales to meet any challenge.
Incidentally, the latest talks termed as confidence building measure efforts came nearly a month after the Corps Commanders of the two armies held the 16th round of talks in Ladakh. The issue of airspace violations by China was raised even then.