Thread by @reportersujan

Making sense of the topography in which the clashes between the Indian and Chinese militaries happened on the night of August 29/30. Here goes:

The Pangong Tso is a boomerang-shaped lake. Like a wide 'V'. At it's east, often confused with the North because of its lay, are the fingers.

It is 135 kms long. Even in the western bank, the Chinese have held 90 kms.

The last Indian COB (Company Operating Base) is Thakung. It is an establishment share by both the army and the ITBP. The Chinese base is at Yula, where they also have a boatyard.

So Thakung and Yula are near the sharp depth of the "V". The face each other but they are not opposite to each other.

This is at a height of 14,000 feet and above. South of the Indian position of Thakung is Magar Hill. Across a valley, is Gurung Hill. Magar Hill is the end of the Ladakh Range. Gurung Hill is the beginning of the Kailash Range. In between is the Spanggur Gap.

In the Spanggur Gap, named after the Spanggur Tso, a little lake on the Chinese side, is a "Red Hut", the house on the Indian side that commanders have been meeting. Two kms from the Indian Red Hut is the Chinese "hut" where, too, the commanders meet to talk peace.

If India gets pushed out of the western bank of the Pangong Tso, the Chushul Valley could be lost. This is the same place as the Rezang La battle. Rezang La is touted as a heroic battle. It is a story of failure. Valour is a poor excuse for military failure.

@ttindia

This space has been widely and intensely surveyed by @rwac48 . The mechanised infantry is probably the most mobile of Indian forces. The Indian Army needs to stand up if it believes that territorial integrity is its primary task.

This is what it is like when rival armies patrol the Pangong Tso. Next, I will give you a picture of the Chushul Valley.

This is in the Spanggur Tso, the Indian "Red Hut" where the commanders have been meeting.

These are chortens -- "heaps of stones" -- in the Chushul Valley.

The Chushul Valley. A glimpse.

There are a few typos in there. Editors have pointed out. "The" should be "they".

The Pangong Tso

Another view of the Chushul Valley. Photographs my own. I will show you where Rezang La happened.

Indian and Chinese dispositions around the Pangong Tso.

A marmot. He knows everything.

Reuters India reports: JUST IN: Chinese military says it strongly demands India withdraw its troops from China-India border in order to avoid escalation of tension

@ananthkrishnan has this. He can read the script. I cannot but I trust him: Full statement from PLA Western Theatre Command 1/2 (Hit translate tweet)
新华社成都8月31日电 西部战区新闻发言人张水利大校8月31日就中印边境局势发表谈话指出，8月31日，印军破坏前期双方多层级会谈会晤达成的共

Full statement from PLA Western Theatre Command 1/2 (Hit translate tweet)
新华社成都8月31日电 西部战区新闻发言人张水利大校8月31日就中印边境局势发表谈话指出，8月31日，印军破坏前期双方多层级会谈会晤达成的共识，在班公湖南岸、热钦山口附近再次非法越线占控，公然挑衅，造成边境局势紧张。

From @ananthkrishnan The PLA statement says the Indian military on August 31 (today) 'illegally crossed' the LAC at the south bank of Pangong Lake and near Rezang La, and 'seriously violated China's sovereignty'

@SaurabhJoshi sends this input: Statement from PLA Western Theatre Command: Indian troops have violated the consensus reached at the multi-level talks between India and China and again crossed the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at the border on Monday. (More)

"...and purposely launched provocations.

China strongly opposes the acts and urges India to immediately withdraw the troops that have illegally crossed the LAC".