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After Galwan, China Now Eyeing Depsang and Pangong Tso: Reports

Recent media reports citing new satellite pictures are claiming that China has now started to intrude in other areas along the line of actual control.

New Delhi| It has been more than a month since the India-China border face-off began over China’s alleged intrusion in Indian territory. The border issue went from a scuffle to skirmish to a violent face-off between the soldiers of the two countries. On the unfortunate night of June 15, the violent face-off led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers in Ladakh’s Galwan valley. As per the reports, Indian soldiers objected to the camps and other structures being erected by the PLA soldiers near galwan valley. A scuffle broke out which turned violent. In this 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
Though some reports claim that the Chinese army has also suffered casualties but the country is mum on the official figure. This happened when the two countries had decided to disengage from the flashpoint in a military level talk. Subsequently, there was another military-level talk on June 23 after which it was decided that both the armies will disengage.
However, recent media reports citing new satellite pictures are claiming that China has now started to intrude in other areas along the line of actual control. According to a report by Journalist Shiv Aroor in India Today, China has started mobilising a large number of PLA soldiers just along the Line of actual control in Depsang region. the camps and bases were spotted near the Chinese base in June.
The report says though the Chinese base was erected prior to 2016 new camps and vehicle tracks were spotted only this month in satellite images. This is the same area where the Chinese army had intruded even in 2013.
In another report by Retired Colonel Vinayak Bhatt also in India today it was claimed that Chinese troops have come forward and deployed around their existing posts in the Depsang Plains opposite India’s Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) sector. According to the report, there are two Chinese posts in this area:

The Tianwendian post

China had established this post near Depsang after the war of 1962 between the two countries claiming that it was an astronomical observatory. In 1980s India realised that observatory was a garb to cover up the PLA troops in the area. The post was expanded twice in 1998 and in 2006. meanwhile, more and more Chinese soldiers were moved to the area.

According to the report the post has a main building, vehicle shed, cookhouse, three buildings for accommodating troops, Observatory post, and fences etc.
It has also laid a water pipeline right up to the post to provide their soldiers with water amidst the vast barren land and a hard standing which can be used for vehicle parking or helicopter landing. The report further says that Chinese have built communication trenches and even radar in the area which can track air movement over DBO and observe every aerial movement over Siachen Glacier.

Forward post

Another similar post in this region is Forward Post 5390 named after the highest point in the vicinity. It was constructed somewhere around 2006-08. It has a main building and observatory post mostly used for a storage facility, according to the report.

But that’s not where it ends. today Indian express journalist Sushant Sinha reported that China is consolidating its position along Pangong Tso region. According to his report, China has undertaken construction of a helipad at Finger 4 which comes in Indian territory and has increased the presence of the troops.
Meanwhile, according to the Times of India report, Army chief General MM Naravane who is visiting the area instructed the troops to plug all gaps along LAC and asked to strengthen the posts. IAF is also conducting regular air patrol over these areas.

On the other hand, efforts are on to diplomatically resolve the issue. Today, India’s envoy to China Vikram Misri in an interview to PTI said that China’s attempts to change or alter the status quo will have ripples and repercussions.
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