Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, 26 May, held a high-level meeting to discuss the India-China stand-off, NDTV reported quoting sources.
PM Modi met with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Chief of Air Staff RKS Bhaduria to review the ground situation in Ladakh, where Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a face-off.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, too, met the the NSA, CDS and the three service chiefs before they met the prime minister. According to IANS, Singh was briefed about the Indian response to the Chinese troops mobilisation at the LAC.
In the meet with the defence minister, it was also decided that road constructions must continue and Indian fortifications and troop deployment must match those of the Chinese.
It was clarified during the meeting that the Indian Army will hold its fort as talks to defuse the situation would continue in parallel.
Ladakh Issue to Come Up During Army Commanders’ Conference
The Indo-Chinese tensions in Ladakh are also expected to come up for discussion during the Army Commanders' Conference, which commenced in Delhi on Wednesday, being presided over by Army Chief General Naravane.
The conference, which will be held till 29 May in its first phase, is also being attended by Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General YK Joshi, under whose jurisdiction comes eastern Ladakh, reported The Indian Express.
“The apex level leadership of Indian Army will brainstorm on current emerging security and administrative challenges and chart the future course for Indian Army,” the army was quoted as saying regarding the conference.
Earlier, Indian Army and China's People's Liberation Army held several meetings to resolve the situation in eastern Ladakh at the Line of Actual Control, according to IANS.
However, no breakthrough was reported till Monday. The previous meeting took place on Sunday, but many things remained unresolved, said sources, adding more commander-level talks are likely to resolve the issues.
Sources told IANS that so far, there have been five rounds of talks between military commanders on the ground without much progress.
A top Indian Army officer told IANS: “No breakthrough. Status quo is maintained.” He said the situation will be resolved, but Indian Army will continue with its construction work along LAC.
Tensions between the Indian and Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh continue to remain high, with troops from both sides remaining engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball situation in several areas, reports have suggested.
India has further increased its strength in Pangong Tso and Galwan Valley, according to military sources cited by news agency PTI. Moreover, surveillance of the area has reportedly been ramped up with the deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Earlier, there had been two instances of clashes between troops in eastern Ladakh and in the Nakula sector in Sikkim, wherein personnel from both sides were left injured. Last week, Army Chief General MM Naravane had visited the Leh-based 14 Corps headquarters to review the situation there.
(With inputs from NDTV, IANS, PTI and The Indian Express.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)