Attack Helicopters From China Practise Military Exercises Over Pangong Lake

Beijing: According to a video broadcast by the state media network CCTV, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted a military practise with assault helicopters above Pangong Lake.

The 16th round of Corps Commander-level negotiations, which took place on Sunday at the Chushul-Moldo border crossing point on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), between India and China, were ended hours after the release of the 33-second video, according to Sputnik.

The video depicts an exercise being conducted above Pangong Lake, the highest saltwater lake in the world, by the army aviation brigade belonging to the PLA Xinjiang Military Command at a height of roughly 4,350 metres.

According to China’s state media, Z-10 attack helicopters participated in the manoeuvres for the first time; in the past, border defence forces were only transported in transport helicopters for patrol missions.

In the meantime, Beijing and New Delhi released a joint statement on Monday announcing their agreement to uphold “security and stability” in the Western Sector along the LAC.

The statement said, “The two parties agreed to maintain close communication and negotiation through military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the outstanding issues as soon as possible.”

According to them, it is expected that the Chinese side will advance north toward the hill feature known as point 5170 on their side of the LAC, while the Indian side may move from the friction point southeast towards the Karam Singh Hill feature.

It is becoming clear that both sides may soon witness the withdrawal of troops from Patrolling Point 15.

Since the Chinese military attempted to aggressively alter the status quo on the LAC in eastern Ladakh in May 2020, both sides have been stationed next to one another near Patrolling Point 15, which has become a source of contention.

India has been considering completely withdrawing its forces from the areas of conflict and bringing the entire sector back to the state it was in before to May 2020.

The impasse at Patrol Point 17A in Gogra was only partially resolved after the last troop disengagement on the LAC took place a year ago.

According to Sputnik, Delhi and Beijing agreed in February 2021 to withdraw soldiers from the 135-km Pangong Lake and establish buffer zones while they work to address any unresolved border concerns.

To prevent a change in the status quo, more than 50,000 soldiers equipped with cutting-edge weapons have been stationed at forward posts along the LAC since 2020.

In order to improve its readiness, the Indian Army shifted several formations toward the Ladakh sector in response to the Chinese aggression in 2020.

In order to monitor the actions of the People’s Liberation Army on the other side of the Line of Actual Control, the Army has now sent the Mathura-based 1 Strike Corps to the northern frontiers while forces from all over the sector are holding their summer exercises there.