Srinagar, June 18: Top and middle-rung military commanders are busy in hectic deliberations over the “peace pact” framed by the armies of China and India as part of the fresh de-escalation process after a gap of two days of the killing of 20 Indian soldiers including an officer at Galwan Valley in the cold desert, top defence officials revealed today.
“Indian army officials are busy in a very crucial meeting with their Chinese counterparts. Peace pact has been framed and deliberations are presently going on at Galwan Valley of Ladakh Union Territory,” a defence source in New Delhi, who is privy to the development, disclosed.
He said there are two documents, one each from Chinese army and Indian army that are being discussed at present. “We are for peace and not war, but that doesn’t mean we will not act if assaulted or attacked. If war is thrusted we are capable of dealing with the situation,” he said.
Reliable sources privy to the peace pact said that Indian army is strongly pressing for the vacation of Chinese army from Indian Territory that includes a vast portion at Point-4 and Galwan Valley. “There is a major demand that the territorial agreement between India and Chinese must be restored and there should be no violation of it. Indian army has documentary evidence and satellite images to prove Chinese intrusion in various areas including Galwan Valley,” they told.
The meeting started at 11:30 am and is on and will continue to till evening with prime focus on breaking the ice. Things turned ugly between the two sides on June 16 when Chinese army assaulted unarmed soldiers of 16 Bihar regiment of Indian army leaving three soldiers including a colonel rank officer dead on the spot while 17 other soldiers were left critically injured in sub-zero temperatures at Galwan Valley, who later succumbed to injuries.
A defence source told that there have been allegations and counter allegations from both sides but the fact of the matter is that video evidence, satellite images and documentary evidence have already proved Chinese intrusion in Indian Territory. “The question is about territorial integrity and any violation to that amounts to challenging India’s sovereignty, which won’t be allowed. We hope things are sorted out amicably through parleys between the two sides,” he said.
Today’s deliberations are the part of Round-3 dialogue as first one turned out to be violent, second remained inconclusive and all eyes are on the ongoing peace talks—(KNO)
