India Demands Withdrawal of Chinese Troops & Removal of Structures From Pangong Lake 

New Delhi : The top military officials of India and China on Saturday began talks to resolve the standoff situation in the eastern Ladakh region and to withdraw security forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The meeting is taking place in front of Chusul in Moldo on the Chinese side. The Indian military delegation is led by Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, the commander of the 14 Corp-based Leh and the Chinese are led by Major General Liu Lin, commander of the South Xinjiang Military Area.

The two countries are in talks to resolve the deadlock in the eastern Ladakh region, particularly on the northern coast of Pangong Tso, where the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has attempted to change the status quo. In the areas which are still under Indian control, Chinese soldiers have tried to change the status quo by setting up camp. Earlier on June 2, talks were held between the officials of the Major General rank of both the countries, which had not reached to any decision.

A large number of Chinese soldiers are camping in the Finger-4 area of Pangong Lake. Pangong Lake is divided into eight finger areas. The raised part of the hills along with the lake is called the finger. So far India has been controlling the area of one to four finger and China finger controls the area between five and eight.

Finger-4 has an Indian post. However, India claims the entire region up to Finger-8. The area between Finger-4 and Finger-8 has been the subject of controversy and this is where confrontation has often been seen. On May 5, a clash was reported near Pangong Lake, injuring several soldiers of both sides.

Sources said the deadlock is not a spontaneous response to India’s road construction in Ladakh. Unusual activities were seen just weeks before that skirmish. The current standoff in Ladakh is not part of normal patrolling, but part of the new strategy launched by China after Doklam.