Chinese troops control over 1,000 sq km of area along LAC: Report

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Chinese troops control around 1,000 square kilometres of the area along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, as per the intelligence inputs provided to the government. China has been increasing the presence of its troops along the LAC since April.

There has been a systematic mobilisation by the Chinese troops along the undefined LAC from Depsang Plains to Chushul, a senior government official told The Hindu.

The official further said that in Depsang Plains, from patrolling point 10-13, the "scale of Chinese control of India’s perception of the LAC stood at about 900 sq km."

"Moreover, around 20 sq km in Galwan Valley and 12 sq km in the Hot Springs area believed to be under Chinese occupation. In Pangong Tso, the area under Chinese control is 65 sq. km, whereas in Chushul it is 20 sq km," the official added, as per the report.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

The India China standoff continues even after several rounds of diplomatic and military level talks.

The Indian Army on August 31 said that it had thwarted an attempt by Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the night of August 29-30.

Indian soldiers pre-empted People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s activity on the southern bank of Pangong Tso and undertook measures to strengthen positions, the army said.

In a statement, the Indian Army said that Chinese troops had violated consensus by carrying out the “provocative military movements”.

Meanwhile, China on August 31 demanded that India withdraw troops that Beijing said had illegally crossed their shared border, its military spokesman said. The Chinese military spokesman said China is taking countermeasures and will safeguard its territorial sovereignty.

The tension between India and China at the LAC in eastern Ladakh region has been escalating since early May amid skirmishes and leading to a military build-up. The three main friction points were Hot Springs, the Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso.

However, the situation worsened after a violent clash broke out in the Galwan Valley on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. The Chinese side is also believed to have suffered casualties but is yet to give details.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had recent;y said that the stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh is the most serious situation since the 1962 Indo-China war. 

In an interview with Rediff.com, the external affairs minister said, "This is surely the most serious situation after 1962. In fact, after 45 years, we have had military casualties on this border. The quantum of forces currently deployed by both sides at the LAC is also unprecedented."