China mobilises in Depsang and Daulat Beg Oldie sectors of Ladakh amidst LAC Standoff

Fresh mobilisations from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) suggest that Beijing can open new fronts in Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) and Depsang sectors in Ladakh.

Sources quoted by India Today journalist Shiv Aroor reveal that China has started mobilising its army east of DBO. As per satellite image accessed by Aroor, camps and vehicles can be seen in the vicinity of a Chinese base in June. The base was established in 2016 but the new camps and vehicles near the base were seen only this month in the satellite images and the same was corroborated by tracking movement on the ground.

However, beating the Chinese to the punch, the Indian Armed Forces had already mobilised in Depsang region anticipating Chinese movement in the sector. Depsang was the area where China had intruded back in 2013. Expecting China’s nefarious designs of mobilisation in the aforesaid region, the Indian Army had mobilised in the sector in late May. A similar deployment has been carried out by the Army in Daulat Beg Oldie as well.

Chinese mobilisation in Depsang region(Source: Twitter.com/Shivaroor
The latest development from the Chinese side comes against the backdrop of increased Chinese activity in the Galwan Valley, the flashpoint of June 15 brawls between the two armies. According to the sources, the camps incinerated by the 16 Bihar Regiment at Patrol Point 14 on the ridgeline that witnessed savage bouts of violence between Indian and Chinese troopers a few days back have once again erected up by the People’s Liberation Army. The juxtaposed satellite images from June 15 and June 22 reveal that the Chinese have firmed up their presence and rebuilt its assets in the hotly contested region that was the epicentre of the fight between Indian and Chinese soldiers in which 20 Indian Army personnel attained martyrdom and a comparable number of Chinese, although not disclosed officially, were killed in the violent clashes.

India cautions China during the Lt General level-talks

India on Monday issued a stern warning to China that it will reply to Chinese provocation and violence in kind and with interest during the second rounds of Lt General level talks, in the aftermath of the deadly clashes in Galwan Valley that claimed lives of 20 Indian Army soldiers along with an undeclared number of Chinese casualties.

As tensions along the LAC simmered, top commanders of the two armies carried out a marathon review of the situation in eastern Ladakh and determined to deal with any kind of Chinese “misadventure” with a firm hand. The Lt General level talks commenced at around 11:30 am at Moldo on the Chinese side of the Chushul sector in eastern Ladakh and went on for about 11 hours, Aroor said. The focal point of the discussions was on finalising modalities for disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh.