India and China exchange fire on LAC, for the first time in 45 years - Broadsword by Ajai Shukla - Strategy. Economics. Defence.

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Tuesday 8 September 2020

India and China exchange fire on LAC, for the first time in 45 years


Chinese troops in the vicinity of Indian post near Chushul

 

By Ajai Shukla

Business Standard, 9th Sept 20

 

The Indian and Chinese militaries accused each other on Tuesday of opening fire during a confrontation late on Monday evening, near Chushul, close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.


The face-off took place a few kilometres south of Helmet Top, a dominating hill feature that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) occupied on August 30 to prevent India from seizing it. While responding to the PLA’s move, an Indian soldier of the Special Frontier Force was killed and another seriously injured.

 

Sources say the Monday incident was triggered when PLA soldiers opened fire while advancing threateningly towards an Indian position. When the PLA refused warnings to stop, Indian soldiers fired shots in the air.

 

Sources say there were no gunshot injuries, since both sides fired in the air. However, there were injuries on both sides in the aggressive scuffle that followed.

 

This was the first time in 45 years that firearms were discharged on the LAC. The last incident was in October 1975, when the Chinese ambushed and killed four jawans of the Assam Rifles on the LAC near Tawang.

 

In a statement on Tuesday, the Indian Army said: “It was the PLA troops who were attempting to close-in with one of our forward positions along the LAC and when dissuaded by own troops, PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate own troops.”

 

A diametrically opposite version of events had been presented by the PLA, when its Western Theatre Command spokesperson, Colonel Zhang Shuili, accused the Indian Army of “illegally crossing the line (LAC) again” in Ladakh. 

 

“During the operation, the Indian Army blatantly fired threats (sic) to the patrol personnel of the Chinese border guards who had made representations. The Chinese border guards were forced to take countermeasures to stabilize the situation on the ground,” said the Chinese spokesperson.

 

Terming this a “serious provocation of a very bad nature”, he stated: “We request the Indian side to immediately stop dangerous actions, withdraw soldiers who had crossed the LAC, strictly restrain frontline troops and strictly investigate and punish personnel who fired shots so that similar incidents do not occur again.”

 

Emphatically rejecting those accusations the Indian Army stated: “At no stage has the Indian Army transgressed across the LAC or resorted to use of any aggressive means, including firing… It is the PLA that has been blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive manoeuvres.”

 

“The statement by the Western Theatre Command is an attempt to mislead their domestic and international audience,” stated the Indian Army.

 

Sounding a clear warning, it went on: “The Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquillity. [However it] is also determined to protect national integrity and sovereignty at all costs.”

 

The confrontation took place just three days after the Indian and Chinese defence ministers, Rajnath Singh and General Wei Fenghe, met in Moscow on Friday; a couple of days before the two foreign ministers, S Jaishankar and Wang Yi are due to meet in Moscow; and even as brigade commanders from both sides are holding regular meetings at Chushul-Moldo.

 

This indicates how volatile the ground situation is,says a retired Indian general who has commanded in the Ladakh sector. “Even apex level political engagement is insufficient to prevent violence breaking out,” he adds. When soldiers are deployed face-to-face, the ground situation can escalate at any time.”


5 comments:

  1. These days the Indian police fires for effect and the Indian army fires in the air. Is there any other army in the world which spares the enemy mounting on their post with guns, machetes etc? No, only the mighty Indian army.
    But I advise them not to approach a Chinese defensive position with the same casualness and confidence. The Chinese will fire— and not in the air
    Every young officer is a expected to be a seasoned diplomat. Pay them twice the amount, please.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A war is imminent. The Chinese have timed their aggression to perfection. Most of the world is preoccupied with the Coronavirus. Russia is in no position to offer support to India apart from platitudes. The USA is in a near-civil war of it's own with Elections coming up that are likely to be contentious. Europe has it's hands full with the Coronavirus and Brexit.

    If it comes to War, India will be alone with no one to help. No one will come to our aid. Such is China's economic and geopolitical prowess. The path forward is clear. We can either hold our ground and make China pay the price. Or we can slink back with our tails between our legs and be condemned to geopolitical irrelevance. One is reminded of an old Russian saying - "Advance and the bullet might miss. Retreat, and the bullet will never miss".

    ReplyDelete
  3. Aren’t u the same person who wrote in business standard not too long ago , derisively, that there no possibility of a two front war ?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Chinese troops provoke India on the late evening of 7 September 2020 at eastern Ladakh along LAC, escalating tension.
    According to newspaper reports , Chinese PLA troops were found attempting to close-in with one of forward positions along the LAC in eastern Ladakh on the late evening of 7 September , 2020. The Chinese troops are reported to have fired a few rounds in the open air. The Indian army reportedly maintained restraint . No round was fired by Indian army. The Chinese PLA has , however , described the incident by alleging that Indian troops transgressed into their territory and opened fire in air. Indian army has rejected this allegation or claim of Chinese PLA. The intent of the Chinese PLA act on 7 September has been read to provoke Indian army.
    The provocative attempt on the part of Chinese PLA on the late evening of 7 September 2020 was implied precisely in the predictive alert of this Vedic astrology writer in article - “ Planetary configuration in August -September 2020 suggest something historic , something rare” - published at nirpakhawaaz.com on 20 July , 2020 which read as :- “ The world looks to be getting together in two separate and distinct camps. One camp claims believing in or advocating social-cum-universal sort of philosophy. The other camp appears to be one whose key theme is expansionism. Yes , these two camps look to be pitted against each other during August-September 2020 , ………………………………………………………Planetary configuration in two months , particularly during 10 August to 10 September , suggest heightening of tension between the two camps accompanied by war-like strategies. This circumstance can pave way for big-war including mini-war or compromise -settlement. In both the situations , the dates 10 , 11 , 19 , 20 , 27 , 28 and 29 in August are closely relevant. Similarly , the dates 6 , 7 , 8 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 24 and 25 in September are also relevant”. Thus , the predictive alert for more care and appropriate strategy can be said to be precise and to the point.
    http://www.nirpakhawaaz.com/2020/07/20/planetary-configuration-in-august-september-2020-suggest-something-historic-something-rare/

    ReplyDelete
  5. What about your previous article claiming occupation of a large tract of land by the enemy???

    ReplyDelete

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