As tensions between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh intensifies, the reports suggest that India’s Dokhlam standoff team, which completed a 73-day-long standoff against the Chinese Army, will again come into action to give a befitting reply to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The decision was taken after PM Narendra Modi conducted a meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.
As per reports, the Chinese Army has increased its troops and resources presence in the region over the past few weeks and wants India to stop the construction work it has been doing in India’s territory along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Chinese Army backed by the government reportedly wants India to stop building border infrastructure in the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) sector as it may threaten the Lhasa-Kashgar highway in Aksai Chin.
Daulat Beg Oldie is the last military post south of the Karakoram Pass and construction there will help India have better military control in the region. However, summer is the only time when the construction could be completed.
“The Darbuk-Shyok-DBO road will be completed this year and will raise the Indian capacity to rapidly deploy in the area. If the road project is blocked, the Indian Army will be forced to live off aerial supply lines and prepare for an arduous route linking Sansoma to Murgo to DBO through glaciated Saser La,” a national security planner in the government said.
Over the years, China has built infrastructure on its side of the region without any intervention from the Indian Amry. Citing the same, a former Army Chief trolled China.
“Just as China has built infrastructure within its own claim line without any objections from India, the former is opposed to any Indian infrastructure build up as if New Delhi has military objectives while Beijing has done this to promote tourism,” he said.
As of now, India is not backing from matching China in terms of troops and resources.
“The Chinese have already initiated psychological operations through its mouthpieces to remind India of the 1962 border skirmish in the same area. But this is 2020 and the leader is Narendra Modi,” said a senior cabinet minister.
