New Delhi: The border tensions between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Ladakh region could “continue for a little longer”, according to the Global Times, a leading English daily backed by the Chinese government.
In an article that appeared Monday, the newspaper, citing experts, said that although talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders on Saturday “resulted in positive agreements”, the situation remains complex.
“The ongoing border issues between China and India will not likely escalate into another Doklam standoff after military commanders from both sides held talks on Saturday that resulted in positive agreements on peacefully resolving the situation … However, due to the complexity of the situation, the military standoff could continue for a little longer,” the article said citing an expert.
According to the expert — Qian Feng, a senior fellow at the Taihe Institute and director of the research department of the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing — cited in the article, “the recent talks involved high-ranking officers from both militaries, indicating that both sides are paying great attention to the situation and do not want to escalate it”.
Both India and China, the article noted, showed “strategic wisdom to see through the US’ ulterior motive” in its effort to mediate between New Delhi and Beijing, especially when tensions between the US and China are rising.
‘Will not be another Doklam’
The article also highlighted that the present standoff will not turn into another Doklam, where both sides were engaged in a 73-day face-off at a trijunction between India, Bhutan and China.
“Both sides have gained a great deal of experience from the Doklam incident in 2017, and since then, all kinds of bilateral mechanisms including on military, diplomatic and local issues have been established, which has eliminated the possibility of an incident escalating into a crisis,” the newspaper added.
However, it also added that “concrete issues” between India and China are still remaining to be resolved.
“That being said, the ongoing standoff is not likely to end immediately, as concrete issues must still be resolved,” the paper quoted Qian as having said. “The trigger of the event, India’s construction of infrastructure on Chinese territory, must be stopped, or China will not accept the situation.”
India and China have held two rounds of talks since Friday at a diplomatic as well as military levels to mitigate the tensions that have erupted in the border areas, especially in the Ladakh region.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, both sides will “continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas”.
Also read: Ladakh standoff continues, India ‘prepared for long haul if needed’
Mr Paki…..chengez….k…..??!?chinese are going back…because their technologically advanced forces can make good propaganda videos…but would face little gain…in the himalayan mountains that come after the tibetan plateau…its an infantry playground…and the chinese dont want to play…as tier after tier defences exist on dug in mountains…they know it…well.
With flights grounded, Navy begins runway maintenance
• Taking advantage of the suspension of flights due to the lockdown, the Indian Navy has commenced maintenance and repairs of the runway at the Goa International Airport at Dabolim. The maintenance activity, being done by the Military Engineer Services (MES), will continue till May 7.
• The repairs, which began on April 25, have been going on even as the navy and Airports Authority of India coordinate international relief flights which are evacuating foreign nationals who are stranded in Goa due to the lockdown.
• This is regular pre-monsoon maintenance to ensure the health of the runway and to prevent foreign object damage to the aircraft engines.
Lockheed Martin to provide India with electro-optical fire-control system for AH-64 attack helicopters
• Lockheed Martin will provide the militaries of India and Taiwan with an electro-optical fire-control system that helps AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crews fire weapons accurately and navigate safely in bad weather and at night.
• Officials of the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., announced a $67.6 million order to the Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control segment in Orlando, Fla., for the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) system and its subcomponents for the Boeing AH-64D/E Apache helicopter.
Airbus to develop thermal instrument to support French-Indian climate satellite
• Airbus Defence and Space has entered an agreement with the French Space Agency, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), to develop a thermal instrument for the TRISHNA satellite which will monitor climate change.
• TRISHNA will be the latest satellite in the joint Franco-Indian satellite fleet dedicated to climate monitoring and operational applications. CNES and ISRO have joined forces to develop an observation system with high thermal resolution.
• Observations from the new satellite are expected to enhance the understanding of the water cycle, improve management of the planet’s water resources and better define the impacts of climate change, especially at local levels.
With China strategy is important and not messages of patriotism
The line “India’s construction of infrastructure on Chinese territory, ..” leaves nothing to the imagination! Are the airports at Leh and Kargil also considered as infrastructure or they are permitted under rules?
China is publicly kicking Indian military arse…………….With a military of 1.3 million , Indian army chief has not dared to utter a single word regarding Chinese occupation of Indian land. Same is the case with IAF chief who three weeks back was threatening Pakistan 24/7 response, seems to have totally lost his tongue. It is China which has invaded India but it is India that is begging for diplomatic solution. The entire patriotic Indian media is dead along with all famous retired generals…incl. Good ol Bakshi………….Shameful !!!