India-China: Disengagement, de-escalation remains a work in progress

New Delhi, Aug 03: The disengagement and de-escalation is a work in progress between India and China.

During the meeting of the military commanders on Sunday, India said that it wanted immediate disengagement at patrolling point 17 (Gogra) and Pangong Tso fingers. While the de-escalation at these points would be a short term solution, diplomatic channels are looking at a long term solution as well which would ensure that the soldiers of both sides are kept apart.

The Indian security establishment does not trust the PLA. An official tells OneIndia that the Chinese side should not object to border infrastructure development as long as it is within the LAC limits. There should be no objection as long as the development is carried out without encroaching on each other's perception of where the border lies.

The Chinese border infrastructure allows for rapid deployment of troops, when compared to India. Hence it is important that India also continues with the border infrastructure development, the officer cited above also said.

A long term solution would be needed to ensure that flare ups and tense stand offs do not take place between the Indian and Chinese armies. For this India and China would need to exchange maps indicating the presence of troops along the Line of Actual Control.

Following this patrolling protocols would have to be introduced. Earlier both India and China would undertake patrolling once a month by avoiding stand offs. However the patrolling intensity has gone up drastically now as both sides are building border infrastructure right up to the LAC.

The PLA has been building roads, setting up posts powered by solar panels, laying fibre optic cables. The Indian Army too is matching the effort.