PM Modi Holds Meeting After China’s Bid to Change Status Quo in Pangong Tso, Ladakh L-G Gives Briefing

Hours after India thwarted China’s attempt to change the status quo by carrying out “provocative military movements” in Ladakh, R K Mathur, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, reached Delhi to brief the authorities about the latest face-off.

Sources told News18 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding continuous meetings with persons concerned to understand the situation and it was established during the discussions that India is prepared for any eventuality. Sources added that the situation is currently under control.

On the intervening night of August 29 and 30, Chinese troops “carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo” but the attempt was thwarted by India, the government said.

“On the night of 29/30 August 2020, PLA troops 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,” the Indian Army said in a statement.

Army Spokesperson Col Aman Anand said a Brigade Commander level meeting is in progress at Chushul to resolve the issues.

“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. A Brigade Commander level Flag Meeting is in progress at Chushul to resolve the issues,” the statement added.

The clash between the troops of the two countries is the first since the skirmish on June 15. No injuries have been reported but heavy troop movement was seen in Chushul after the incident.

Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a bitter standoff in several areas along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh for over three-and-half months. India has been insisting that China must withdraw its forces from areas between Finger Four and Eight. The mountain spurs in the area are referred to as Fingers.

The formal process of disengagement of troops began on July 6, a day after a nearly two-hour telephonic conversation between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on ways to bring down tensions in the area.