As the world welcomed the New Year with festive cheer, amidst the India-China tension, troops from both nations stationed at Eastern Ladakh's Hot Springs and Demchok marked the New Year. In a display of goodwill, they exchanged gifts on the day.
The tension between the two nations began in May 2020. Despite this, the gesture of exchanging gifts on New Year's Day by the Indian and Chinese troops was a notable effort to ease the ongoing stress.
The exchange of greetings and gifts among soldiers is seen as highly meaningful, particularly because the Hot Springs area was a critical hotspot during the tensions. The issue in this region remains unresolved.
While the Demchok area wasn't part of the stalemate, military presence continues, and India has been pressing for a final resolution on all disputed territories in Ladakh, though China shows limited interest.
Additionally, in locations such as KK Pass, DBO, Bottleneck, Konkala, Chushul Moldo, Demchok Hot Springs, Nathula, Kongrala, Bum La, and Vacha Damai, Indian and Chinese troops exchanged greetings and distributed sweet treats.
India's proposal to fully normalize situations in Eastern Ladakh hasn't been received favorably by China, and the stalemate remains. India maintains that segmental disengagement at Pangong Tso, Galwan, and Gogra, where buffer zones exist, isn't a definitive solution. China insists on a similar buffer zone around the Hot Springs territory.
In these regions, buffer zones spanning 3 to 10 km mean India's traditional patrolling areas are restricted. While 13 core commander-level meetings have been conducted, the deadlock remains, with no troop reductions in forward locations.
Since tensions began in May 2020, more than 50,000 troops have reinforced the Ladakh region. Furthermore, China's aggressive stances along borders adjoining Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim over the past year highlights escalating activities. By year's end, the Ministry of Defense, in its review, noted multiple provocative actions by China to alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Source: aajtak
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