India and China create Ladakh peace plan

By Kaveesha Fernando 

LADAKH, India (CWBN) – India and China are in the process of finalising a 3 phased disengagement plan in eastern Ladakh. If successful, the plan may deescalate mounting tensions in the region which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers this June. 

In the first stage, both sides plan to move back tanks and armoured personnel to a specified distance. In stage two, the two sides have agreed to reduce around 30% of their troops from the north bank of Pangong Tso Lake daily for 3 days. In the third and final stage the parties have both agreed to withdraw from their respective positions in the frontline along the Pangong lake area. A joint mechanism to verify progress through Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and delegation meetings has also been agreed upon. 

Officially known as the Union Territory of Ladakh, the province’s vague and heavily disputed border spanning around 3500km separates India from China. Ladakh’s geography causes additional problems – rivers, lakes and snowcaps in the area may cause the border to shift and inevitably leads to more confrontation. The Ladakis are mostly of Tibetan origin and are practicing Buddhists – they consider themselves to be Indian. 

In 1962 a brief war between India and China was fought over the region following the Chinese construction of a road which covered the hotly contested Aksai Chin plateau – following India’s heavy defeat the entire area came under the control of China. The region is so remote that according to reports India only discovered the road years later. 

The casualties caused by the confrontation in June were the first military casualties on the border in 40 years. Soldiers have recalled in the past the friendship and camaraderie struck between the two sides at one of the world’s highest altitudes. The two countries agreed years ago to not shoot at each other during confrontations – the weapons used in June by the Chinese are described as iron clubs with spikes. 

Sparsely populated, most experts feel the two nations only consider the region to be important in the event of another war between India and China. Ironically, there had been no wars fought by the two nations until border tensions sparked the first Indo-Sino war – the only war to date between the two nations. The nationalist governments on both sides have not helped ease tensions and there have been numerous reports of increased Chinese military presence in the region within the past year. 

Edited by Elishya Perera