It was a road construction by India that triggered the recent face off in Ladakh leading to a violent clash between Indian and Chinese troops which left many injured on both sides earlier this month.
With a troop build-up on the Chinese side, India also enhanced its defences. The army maintained that things have calmed and there is no face off in Eastern Ladakh now.
As per sources, the Chinese had been objecting to a critical road construction project north of Pangong Tso (lake) that became a flashpoint. The contentious road was well within the Indian territory and far from the Chinese claim, the sources added.
The construction, however, has been halted following violent clashes as tension continues to simmer in the region.
“The Indian stand was that just like the Chinese have built a road in the area under their control we can do it on our side,” said a government source.
Another official privy to the developments said the Chinese had been exerting pressure to stop work on the road for some time but as the construction continued, it resulted in a face off.
With the recent skirmish being a result of infrastructure building by India close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the focus could shift to several other road works in areas. These constrictions could become potential flashpoints as India has been enhancing infrastructure in remote areas.
Leave a Reply