Sources in the security establishment have expressed concern over China remaining non-committal on retreating from the India-claimed lines in Pangong Lake and Depsang Plains despite several rounds of dialogue since May.
“The biggest concern is that India seems to be negotiating only piecemeal matters rather than restoration of status quo ante,” a security official attached to the Intelligence Bureau told The Telegraph on Monday.
He said that during the military-level talks, the Indian Army seemed to be pushing only for “short-term” solutions to immediate problems, such as preventing face-offs in friction areas by each side agreeing to a limited pullback. But the larger issue of restoring status quo was not being addressed, he added.
“It is apparent that the Chinese are bargaining from a position of strength as they are sitting inside our territory. Instead of short-term solutions, we should be pushing for restoration of status quo,” the official said.
After the fourth round of military talks, the statements of the Indian Army and the foreign ministry on Thursday were silent on India’s demand for restoration of status quo and China’s response. Both statements described the ongoing disengagement process as “intricate and complex”.
A day later, defence minister Rajnath Singh told the troops in Ladakh that the “progress” of India-China talks so far suggested the border situation should be resolved. But the defence minister added that he could not give any “guarantee”.
An ITBP official attached to the paramilitary’s intelligence wing flagged how both sides agreed to pull back 1.5km each as part of a “short-term” solution from Patrolling Point 14, the face-off site at the Galwan Valley where 20 soldiers were killed, and Hot Springs by creating buffer zones.
“A physical verification conducted by the Indian Army has suggested that the Chinese troops are still very much present inside Indian territory. If we are only concerned about a short-term solution by disengaging from friction points, are we not committing a big blunder?” he asked.
The ITBP is the first line of defence along the 3,488km India China frontier.
The creation of buffer zones within India territory has also prompted army veterans to suggest India had blundered diplomatically by retreating from its own claimed territory as part of the disengagement.
“It is astonishing that the government continues to build a false narrative that no intrusion has taken place and at the same time the Indian Army is holding talks with the Chinese to retreat at their terms and conditions. Are we not allowing them to dictate terms?” asked a veteran.
“Why are we not telling them to return to their side of the Line of Actual Control?”
Chinese troops are said to have dug in 8km inside India-claimed lines since May 5 at Finger 4 area near Pangong Lake. India claims territory till Finger 8 but the Chinese have advanced to Finger 4 from their erstwhile position at Finger 8.