India Prepares Troops for Long and Hard Winter in Ladakh as Chinese Troops Go Back on Pullback Plan

The disengagement between India and China hit a roadblock in eastern Ladakh as Chinese troops have not moved back from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in line with the consensus arrived at during the disengagement talks between both the countries. Seeing this, the Indian Army prepares for a long haul and harsh winter for the high-altitude region.

A massive logistical exercise has started to provide adequate rations and other supplies to its soldiers as the friction areas still remain volatile.

China is not complying with the roadmap for a complete pullback, which was drawn out during the Corps Commander level meet on July 14. The Chinese People's Liberation Army troops have not moved back.

The Indian security foundations said that the Chinese withdrew a piece and afterward returned; so there is a requirement for "steady check" of the agreement accomplished during the gatherings between the Indian and Chinese military representatives. 

It has been discovered that the Indian and Chinese soldiers have pulled back at Pangong Lake by 2km and Finger 4 is vacant. Be that as it may, the Chinese are as yet outdoors on the edge line. This obviously shows the Chinese had stayed outdoors at Finger 4 that had customarily been under the Indian control. 

The Chinese had come in eight kms into the Indian domain, right till Finger 4 from Finger 8. India keeps up that the LAC goes through Finger 8. Mountain prods sticking into the lake are alluded to as fingers.

In Galwan Valley, which is called Patrolling Point 14, distance between Indian and Chinese troops is three kms. At Patrolling



Point 15, the distance between troops is around 8km.

But in Hot Springs, that is Patrolling Point 17, 40-50 troops on both sides are just 600-800 meters apart. The Chinese Army had retreated as per the consensus, but again returned.

Seeing the Chinese approach, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while reviewing the Indian Air Force's operational capabilities and deployments at forward locations on Wednesday urged the force to stand ready to handle any eventuality on the border with China.

Singh had said during his address at the inaugural session of the three-day Air Force Commanders' Conference in New Delhi that started on Wednesday.

The minister, during his visit to Ladakh last week, said that India wants peace but there is no guarantee of the final outcome of talks with China. Singh also reviewed the ground situation in the hostile border areas.

India and China are engaged in military and diplomatic deliberations to de-escalate the tense situation in the border areas in Ladakh. The countries are locked in a 10-week-long stand-off at multiple points, hitherto unprecedented along the border.

The Indian delegation's main agenda at the meet was the complete PLA pullback from the Pangong Lake, Depsang and other areas in eastern Ladakh.

China had changed the status quo on the LAC at various places, moving inside the Indian territories. India has objected to it and is taking up the matter with China at all levels.

On June 15, as many as 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops were killed in a violent clash in the Galwan Valley.m,