When asked about expanding the disengagement to other areas like trade, Jaishankar responded, “It [the LAC breakthrough] has just happened. I would not go so fast at the moment.”As TNIE reported earlier, the situation on the ground remains largely unchanged, with troops from both sides still stationed near the 832 km-long LAC in Eastern Ladakh.As per Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi the Army has pitched in for “the situation that existed pre-April 2020 restored, whether it’s ground occupation/situation, buffer zones created or the patrolling that has been planned. Till that time that situation is not restored, as far as we are concerned the situation remains sensitive and we are fully operationally prepared to face any contingency.”As first reported by TNIE, the Chinese, after the clashes at Finger 4 on North Bank of Pangong Tso, moved in troops in April 2020 and it was the breach of all five agreements/understandings signed since 1993. There are 65 patrolling points with two add-ons in between, beginning from Karakoram Pass and stretching down to Demchok.Both sides have differing perceptions of the boundary, which has been contested since the 1962 border war. The LAC itself is based on military control, leading to recurrent friction between border forces due to differing perceptions of its alignment on the ground.The remaining standoff at Charding Nullah Junction (CNN) in Demchok, where a few tents have been pitched by the Chinese, also highlights the complex dynamics at play, as the LAC passes through CNN.Indian forces had mobilised a significant deployment of over 68,000 troops, 90 tanks, 330 Infantry Combat Vehicles, and other artillery to forward positions in response to the Chinese troop movements in 2020.The situation along the LAC remains a critical issue, demanding vigilance and strategic patience from both sides.
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