LAC Standoff: India 'Considering' China's Proposal to Retreat From Pangong

New Delhi: In a recent round of talks aimed at disengagement, China has proposed that troops from both the sides return to their original locations on the south bank of lake Pangong Tso, according to a report in the Indian Express.

The People's Liberation Army also indicated that it was ready to move its troops back to Finger 8 and proposed moving back tanks and artillery to the depth areas on either side to avoid any untoward incidents in a region where tensions are high, and troops are battling a harsh winter.

Official sources told the national daily that India was considering the offer and modalities for other friction areas were still under discussion.

In the absence of any agreement for disengagement, the two sides have deployed thousands of troops, tanks, artillery and air assets in the region, with India insisting that troops return to the status quo ante and China’s reluctance to disengage.

The two countries have been engaged in a stand-off in Ladakh since April, when Chinese troops crossed into Indian territory.

The Chinese reportedly proposed the disengagement plan at the one-on-one discussions during the eighth Corps Commander-level talks between Lt General P.G.K. Menon, Commander of the Leh-based XIV Corps, and Major General Liu Lin, Commander of South Xinjiang Military Region, on November 6.

While there is no agreement yet on the proposal, the two sides are likely to meet again soon.

A senior security establishment official told the Indian Express that there was a proposal from China “that it is ready to move back to Finger 8” on the north bank of Pangong Tso. It also proposed that Indian troops would be at the Dhan Singh Thapa Post, west of Finger 3.

Also read: CDS General Rawat Says China Border Standoff Could Spark Larger Conflict

Additionally, the proposal includes the creation of a temporary no-patrolling zone between Finger 4 and Finger 8 “to prevent any friction,” the official said and added that “everything is in the grey zone".

"Nobody has formally committed. All matters of details are currently under deliberations,” the official said. “Modalities, timelines, distances” are being discussed between the two sides, the official added.

"Everything will be based on verification,” the official said. While the proposal is being considered at the highest level, India will continue to remain cautious, the official added.

Military build-ups in Depsang Plains, where Chinese soldiers have been blocking Indian troops from going to their traditional patrolling points for over six months now, will be taken up separately at a later stage, reported the Times of India. “Depsang is an old problem. The first priority is the flashpoints in the Pangong Tso-Chushul area. The time-bound disengagement process can kick off within this month if the modalities are finalized, either through the ongoing daily hotline talks or another round of corps commander-level talks,” a source told the national daily.

The China government's mouthpiece, Global Times, later on Thursday, brought out a report with the headline, 'Indian media's reports on detailed border disengagement plan with China 'inaccurate': sources'. Citing unnamed sources, the Times cited the report on Times of India to then say that "while the momentum brought by the eighth round of corps commander talk is good, the "disengagement plan" mentioned by the media is "not accurate"."

The report also said:

"The sources told the Global Times that India has always had "unrealistic" ideas about the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and disregarded history, unilaterally believing that Fingers 4 to 8 are its patrolling areas, and has sought to gain bargaining chips in talks by fishing for interests in the disputed border area."

During the weekly briefing, the MEA spokesperson was asked about the reports that India and China were considering specific proposals for withdrawal from Pangong Tso lake area. “When we have something to share, we will share. Discussions are ongoing,” said MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Thursday.

Referring to the joint press release of the 8th round of talks between senior commanders on November 6, he pointed out that the two sides had exchanged views on disengagement at all friction points along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of India-China border areas.

“India and China have agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, and, taking forward the discussions at this meeting of the Senior Commanders, push for the settlement of other outstanding issues. They have also agreed to have another round of meeting soon,” added Srivatsava.

India maintains that the Line of Actual Control (LAC) passes through Finger 8 on the north bank of Pangong Tso. In May, Chinese troops came 8 km west, up to Finger 4.

After an initial round of disengagement in July, the Chinese stepped back from the base of Finger 4 to Finger 5, while Indian troops moved to Finger 3. However the Chinese have refused to vacate the ridge of Finger 4 ever since.

In August, Indian troops occupied dominating heights on the south bank of Pangong Tso, and in the larger Chushul sub-sector.

Positioning themselves on Gurung Hill, Magar Hill, Mukhpari, Rechin La and Rezang La, Indian troops now have a direct view of China's Moldo Garrison, and the strategic Spanggur Gap.

Note: The article has been updated since publication to include reactions by Chinese media and the MEA.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.