'China's PLA must be evacuated from Galwan': Sharad Pawar asserts at PM's all-party meet

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar asserted that Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) must be evacuated from occupying high ground in Ladakh's Galwan Valley on Indian side and to do so, "compulsory measures are required". He made remark at all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, called to discuss recent tensions on India-China border across Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and subsequent deadly clashes this week.

"PLA must be evacuated from occupying high ground in Galwan Valley on Indian side. If we want PLA to evacuate from Galwan, compulsory measures are required. It would be advisable to strategize using diplomatic channels to defuse tension on border and make China see reason," said Sharad Pawar.

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China eyeing Dubruk-DBO Road

veteran politician ted that  Chinese Army occupying high ground in Galwan Valley is essential, with specific objective of dominating highly strategic Dubruk-Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) Road on Indian side of LAC. DBO is  world’s highest landing ground that lies close to LAC and serves as an important aerial supply line.

" road connecting Dubruk to DBO is entirely on Indian side of LAC. It is crucial for India, as DBO is an advanced landing ground and provides an airfield for Air Force to quickly respond to any emergency... Chinese troops can at any time decide to force closure of this road which would be at heavy military cost to India," said Pawar, highlighting that DBO is also important as it furr links to Karakoram Pass and lies on left of Siachin Glacier.

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Sharad Pawar recalled that during his tenure as India's Defence Minister, he had visited China and signed a Peace and Tranquillity Agreement with China in 1993 which he said "was first peace effort after 1962 Indo-China War". He said two countries continued to respect terms of Understanding, barring some incidents on a mir scale as compared to recent incident.

NCP chief ted that in last three decades, Chinese have quietly strengned PLA's position on 4000 Km LAC and "have particularly focused on enlarging and strengning in Eastern Ladakh sector".

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