New Delhi:
A vibrant 'New India' makes lot of difference.
'August 5' as a day haunts Chinese establishment as much it pinches Pakistan. Under PM Narendra Modi, it is now 'Naya Kashmir' and two years have gone successfully sharing more powers to panchayat levels. It was on August 5, 2019, the Modi government had abrogated Article 370 and next day, Home Minister Amit Shah said the BJP leaders can lay down their lives for Aksai Chin and PoK.
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| Blogger and Defence Minister: Assertive India |
Prowess militarily and economic can be a handicap too.
The position of 'perceived strength' has created a sort of a functional hurdle for Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Firstly, the border imbroglio since May-June 2020 and ongoing diplomatic standoff has given out a message that China’s powerful dispensation has come under open challenge from a fellow Asian giant. But comparably, China always presumed it to be a stronger customer.
There is pressure globally, and being almost put in bracket with Pakistan and North Korea is perhaps being understood at the right level.
Thus, it was not without good reason that Xi Jinping in June told a closed door meeting of party colleagues that “It is necessary to make friends, unite and win over majority and constantly expand the circle of friends”.
On the other hand, there is something well known in diplomatic-strategic circle called, ‘reputational costs’.
This price for India will be far lesser because China is well known as a ‘stronger’ economic power between the two; and it also has more number of forces in uniform.
But the Modi regime has hit Beijing hard where it really pinches – below the belt virtually. Prime Minister Modi has decided to play on the mind game.
A former foreign secretary Lalit Mansingh had told this writer during Doklam crisis that China fears any country which is assertive and displays strength.
In June 2020, there was the worst clash between India and China. Sadly for Xi Jinping, there were fatalities on both sides.
As a democracy India has able to accept the damage and honoured the 20 martyred, but the Chinese President was left red-faced. This was China’s worst and first combat deaths in last 40 years and more.
Beijing also had to swallow another bitter pill, the truth. It came to light that Chinese soldiers need to be better trained for high-altitude warfare in tough terrains of Himalayas.
The embarrassment for ‘powerful’ Xi lay in the actions of the Chinese authorities when at least six Chinese bloggers have been put behind bars for writing that China is hiding the real death toll from Galwan clash.
The US intelligence reportedly placed Chinese fatalities at 35 and one of the native Chinese bloggers, who had over two million followers on social media Weibo, was sentenced to eight months in prison.
Hence, there is some re-conciliatory tone in the Chinese camp lately during parleys on border row at both platforms – between military commanders and between two foreign ministers Dr S Jaishankar and Wang Yi.
A career diplomat Jaishankar is an experienced hand on China too.
So echoing the spirit of a doer as envisioned by the Prime Minister, Modi’s External Affairs Minister was not hesitant in Moscow recently and had said: “China has not observed agreements it had signed up for when it came to our (Indian) border”.
These are glimpses of neo-assertive New Delhi unlike the past when modest politicking had persuaded Dr Manmohan Singh to stay away from the Quad format.
Now apparently, China also agrees to Indian version and want ‘expeditious’ solution to the border row in the Ladakh sector.
Therefore, there was a joint statement after 12th round of military commanders’ level parleys. Moreover, India was assertive even in these meetings and has emphasised that Gogra and Hot Springs issues must end faster.
Experts say Xi Jinping needs to realise it fast what his PLA commanders have realised that it could be an easier way to launch aggression against a neighbour; but it may not be so simple to scale down.
Of all, the ego and general prestige issue come especially when it is given out that you are the ‘more powerful’ brother in the ring.
ends
Forward movement in parleys: India, China pull out of Gogra
New Delhi:
Gogra, or Patrolling Point 17A, was one of the key friction points between India and China.
Now, in what is being seen as a positive and forward moving development,
India and China have pulled back troops from this vital border location in the eastern Ladakh.
With this "one more sensitive area of face-off" has been resolved.
"Both sides have ceased forward deployments in this area in a phased, coordinated and verified manner.
The disengagement process was carried out over two days August 4-5, 2021. The troops of both sides are now in their respective permanent bases," said an official release.
"All temporary structures and other allied infrastructure created in the area by both sides have been dismantled and mutually verified. The landform in the area has been restored by both sides to pre-stand off period," the release said.
The disengagement was the outcome of the 12th round of talks at the level of senior commanders held last Saturday (July 31), sources said.
"This agreement ensures that the LAC in this area will be strictly observed and respected by both sides, and that there is no unilateral change in status quo. With this one more sensitive area of face-off has been resolved," the release said.
Both sides have expressed commitment to take the talks forward and resolve the remaining issues along the LAC in the Western Sector, it said.
The release further said: As conveyed earlier this week, the twelfth round of talks between the Corps Commanders of India and China were held on 31 July 2021 at Chushul Moldo Meeting Point in Eastern Ladakh.
The two sides had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on resolution of remaining areas related to "disengagement" along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of India-China border areas.
"As an outcome of the meeting, both sides agreed on disengagement in the area of Gogra. The troops in this area have been in a face-off situation since May last year."
Earlier on July 31, sources have said during the meeting India categorically pressed for an early 'disengagement' of troops and weapons in Hot Springs and Gogra points.
The Indian delegation was led by Lt Gen PGK Menon, commander of XIV Corps ensuring security for the LAC with eastern Ladakh while Maj Gen Liu Lin, commander of the South Xinjiang Military district, led the Chinese side.
“The Indian Army, along with ITBP (paramilitary Indo-Tibetan Border Police), is totally committed to ensuring the sovereignty of the nation and maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC," the statement added.
India and China have been engaged in a military standoff since May 2020 all along LAC in Ladakh since New Delhi first detected Chinese intrusions.
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