Posted on 09/12/2020 9:50:06 PM PDT by BenLurkin
After months of worsening tensions on their contested Himalayan border, India and China surprised many by announcing that troops are to quickly disengage.
The joint announcement followed a marathon meeting between Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow.
It came despite spiralling rhetoric between the nuclear-armed neighbours, which had suggested increasing hostility.
Earlier in the week, China's state-run Global Times had said Chinese troops would "quickly deal a heavy blow to Indian troops, and they will be all annihilated" if Delhi provoked a war.
India, too, had upped the ante, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh saying "there should be no doubt" about the country's resolve to protect its territorial integrity.
The statements reflected the reality on the ground: a hostile face-off between troops.
Weather, an unlikely factor, may have also played a role. The higher ridges of the Galwan Valley become inhospitable in winters.
Lieutenant General (retired) Vinod Bhatia, who served in the Indian army, says troops are used to operating in harsh conditions, but "given a chance, both armies would want to avoid that".
Reports also suggest that Indian troops recently occupied some ridges overlooking Chinese posts. Neither country has officially confirmed the reports.
"India may have used this advantage as a bargaining chip," Lt-Gen Bhatia adds.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Anyone who trusts the PLA is a fool. Withdraw at your own peril, India.
Ask Tibet.
India has nearly the same number of nukes as China.
And the ability to deliver them.
l8r
Everything froze a rethink in strategy necessitated. India should build one of those saddàm long neck Hussain big guns or two an end a rounds arc right at the three gorges dam. Put the gun up high Himalayas. Chinese smart enough they will figure out what it means. Their cards suck.
They are disengaging, not withdrawing
Food fair highlighting each nation’s cuisine under the rainbow flag?
As long as India remains in “opponent mode” and isn’t sucking up to China. We need India as a firewall over there.
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