As tension continues for the ninth month at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and several rounds of talks unable to break the logjam, the Defence Ministry has said China tried to forcefully and unilaterally change the status quo in Ladakh.

China also ramped up its troop strength in the border region on its side of the LAC leading to stand-off and tension all along the LAC, the Ministry said in its annual year-end review released recently.

Unilateral and provocative actions by the Chinese to change the status quo by force, in more than one area on the LAC, were responded to in a firm and non-escalatory way, ensuring the sanctity of our claims in Eastern Ladakh, the report said.

“The Indian Army has maintained all protocols and agreements between the two countries while the Chinese escalated the situation by utilisation of unorthodox weapons and amassing a large number of troops,” the report said.

The use of orthodox weapons was in obvious reference to the Chinese troops using clubs and nail-studded rods to attack the Indian soldiers in the Galwan valley on June 15.  The bloody brawl left 20 Indians, including the commanding officer, dead.  Scores of Chinese casualties were also reported.

The Indian Army with assistance from IAF, mobilised troops, including accretionary forces, in a very short duration including heavy equipment like guns, tanks as also ammunition, rations and clothing.

On August 28-29, the Indian troops in a precautionary step, pre-empted Chinese expansionist designs and occupied heights along the southern bank of Pangong Tso.

“Braving inclement weather, the Indian troops continue to be deployed on these heights.  Advance Winter Stocking (AWS) and winter preparations for the enhanced strength has been completed and troops are well entrenched to counter any misadventure by Chinese forces,” the review said.

While the Indian Army is prepared for any eventuality, talks are also progressing to resolve the issue in an amicable manner, it said.

It was in an apparent reference to the groundwork now for the ninth round of Corps Commander level talks in the coming days.  The last round was held on November 6.

Incidentally, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh last week said talks between the two sides for disengagement and de-escalation have not given positive results.

The review also said the IAF’s heavy-lift planes altered the dynamics of “force posturing” in the Ladakh sector “by mobilising huge quantum of war-waging machinery along with battle-ready troops in quick time-frames”.

The Indian Army swiftly moved and occupied a series of key heights to prevent the PLA from grabbing Indian territory on the southern bank in a stealthy midnight move on August 29.

The Indian Army now controls ridgeline positions on the southern bank of Pangong Tso that allow it to completely dominate the sector and keep an eye on Chinese military activity. The Indian Army has also taken control of key heights overlooking the PLA’s deployments on the Finger 4 ridgeline on the northern bank of Pangong Tso where rival soldiers are deployed barely a few hundred metres from each other.

At present, more than one lakh troops from both the sides are facing each other at the nearly 1,700 km long LAC in Ladakh sector.  Given the situation, the Indian security establishment has enhanced its capabilities all along the 4,000 km long LAC stretching from Ladakh in the east to Arunachal Pradesh in the east.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat earlier this week reviewed the operational preparedness during his two-day visit to forward air bases and army on the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh.