Breaking news: While tension between Indian and PLA troops at Galwan continues to remain high, in what could be construed as the first signs of a thaw, brigade commanders from either side met at the Finger 4 area near Pangong Tso (lake) this morning, according to informed sources
This was the first formal flag meeting between the two sides in more than a month-and-a-half. Tension has been brewing at two spots in Ladakh since May 5-6 when Indian Army and PLA troops clashed violently, resulting in serious injuries on either side at Pangong lake
Indian troops are well-entrenched at both sites and are maintaining the aggressive posture, the sources said. The Chinese side has brought in more patrolling boats in the lake, the Indian side has observed. More than 70 per cent of the 134 km long lake falls in the Tibet
Situated at an altitude of 4350 m, the lake's banks have been site of fisticuffs between Indian and PLA soldiers claiming ownership over areas where one side accuses the other of tresspassing. Several standoffs have occured in Ladakh over differing perceptions about the boundary
At Galwan, the latest standoff began when PLA troops objected to the Indian side resuming construction of a a short but important road on the Indian side. Violent physical clashes have occured here too in the past one month. Right now apparently it is an eyeball-to-eyeball scene
It must be noted however that since 1976 at least no bullets have been fired along the contested border between India and China. But several incidents of jostling, jousting, fisticuffs and even stonepelting have been reported along several points on the border in the past few yrs
Finally, both sides, through their respective foreign office and by using existing mechanisms for confidence building measures at the border are enagegd in intense negotiations to deescalate the situation. How long this standoff will last is however anybody's guess. ENDS
