An Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance report that alerted India about a China move in
New Delhi, Sep 01: A Brigade Commander level Flag meeting of India and China would continue today.
Sources tell OneIndia that the meeting that was held on Monday was a stormy one. However both sides decided to continue talks today as well. The meeting took place after several calls on the hotline were made by both sides.
This came in the backdrop of a provocative military movement by the Peoples Liberation Army. This attempt was however blocked by the Indian troops at Pangong Tso on Saturday.
The source cited above said that there was no scuffle or contact. The source further added that the Indian troops moved in to occupy the dominating heights on its side of the Line of Actual Control on Saturday on the South Bank of Pangong Tso. This was done after the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance reports suggested that the PLA was attempting move in to occupy the same area.
'Taking countermeasures', says China after India repels its troops
The Chinese have claimed these heights as theirs. The move by the PLA was foreclosed by our soldiers. They had attempted to change the realities on the ground by intruding into our territory on the southern bank of Pangong Tso. There was no question of a casualty as there was no violent clash a source told OneIndia.
"The PLA violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements during the ongoing standoff in eastern Ladakh and carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo," a statement from the Army said.
"Indian troops pre-empted this PLA activity on the southern bank of Pangong Tso Lake, undertook measures to strengthen our positions and thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground. The Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquility through dialogue, but is also equally determined to protect its territorial integrity," the statement also added.
There is however no official word as yet on the brigade commander level flag meeting being held between the two sides at Chushul to resolve the issue.
China on the other hand has shown no sign of disengaging from the troop confrontation. It continues to build roads, bridges, helipads and other military infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control.
India on the other hand has matched the PLA build up and deployed tanks, artillery, surface to air missile batteries and other heavy weaponry.