With India and China both building border infrastructure, both the patrolling intensity and friction with the opposing force has increased

Amidst the negotiations on disengagement of the army on both sides of the Indo-China border, diplomats of the two countries are in talks about the implementation of patrolling protocols to avoid flare ups, like that in the Galwan Valley on June 15.

According to a report published by Hindustan Times, a senior official said that it calls for a patrolling protocol to avoid sudden flare ups at the LAC. In order to implement that, both the countries should provide each other with maps, indicating the presence of armies on both the sides in the area.

“Today with India and China both building border infrastructure right up to perceived LAC, the patrolling intensity has not only increased but also the friction with the opposing force”, he was quoted saying by the report. An attempt to exchange maps was made in 2002, which however went unsuccessful due to China putting it off.

The Hindustan Times report states that, even though diplomats of both India and China consider no objection to border area upgradation by the respective armies as long as they don’t encroach into each other’s territory, the Indian Army and the national security establishment seem to have no faith in the People’s Liberation Army of China.

A build-up in tension along the Indo-China border led to a violent clash in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley and 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action on the night of June 15.