Doklam standoff: China may opt for more 'shallow intrusions' along LAC

According to media reports, the Indian defence establishment is bracing for such intrusions

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) might conduct more "shallow intrusions" at vulnerable locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Times of India reported on Thursday citing sources in the Indian defence establishment. 

According to the report, the Indian Army is bracing for such intrusions meant to needle it along the LAC. 

According to the national daily, the Indian defence establishment's assessment sees any attempt by the PLA near the Sikkim-Bhutan-China tr-junction as unlikely. Citing the assessment, the report added that Indian troops hold an advantage in that region in military terms and can threaten China's narrow Chumbi Valley. In stead, a source told the national daily that the PLA could "try something" in eastern Ladakh, eastern Arunachal Pradesh, or the Lipulekh Pass and Barahoti in the central sector (Himachal-Uttarakhand). 

The Indian defence establishment, the report added, is holding on to its belief that Beijing will not risk a shooting war despite a build-up of troops and munitions by the PLA. 

This assessment comes after Indian and Chinese troops had an altercation in Ladakh, in Kashmir, amid the ongoing Doklam standoff at the Sikkim border.

As a tense military standoff in Doklam entered the third month, senior Indian and Chinese army officers discussed another border row on Wednesday, a day after troops of the two countries scuffled and threw stones at each other in Jammu and Kashmir's Ladakh sector.

According to Army sources in Delhi, a "pre-scheduled" Border Personnel Meeting was held near Chusul border area in Ladakh.

The sources said the meeting discussed the incidents and issues to ensure "strengthening of existing mechanisms for maintaining peace and tranquillity" on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that divides the cold Ladakh region between India and China.

Troops of both sides had scuffled near Pangong Lake in the western sector of the India and China boundary on Tuesday after Chinese troops tried to cross the LAC in areas known as Finger Four and Finger Five.

The standoff continued for more than an hour, during which soldiers on both sides were involved in stone pelting, which led to injury to troops on both sides, the sources said.

This is a one of its kind incident where troops were involved in a skirmish, though no weapons were used.

Later, a standard drill in which banners are shown asking the other side to go back to the agreed point was held, and the Chinese troops retreated.