It was a multi-pronged strategy adopted by the Narendra Modi government that forced China to make a retreat, albeit slow, from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. If sources are to be believed, India combined its hard military prowess with swift diplomatic moves to leave the Xi Jinping-led Chinese government both stunned and isolated.
The Indian Army not just increased its deployment near the LAC, but was also ready for any eventualities. At least that was the message the Indian dispensation managed to get across to the Chinese side, and the world at large. At the same time, India’s strategy on the economic and diplomatic fronts forced the Dragon to go on the back-foot. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ladakh, too, gave a strong message to the whole world, including China, that India was not going to back down.
Sources said that the Indian government moved against China in a very timely manner, on both diplomatic and economic fronts. Many countries called on New Delhi and assured help against China in the last two months of the standoff in eastern Ladakh.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke to the foreign ministers of several countries, including the US, Britain, France, Indonesia, Australia, Canada and Japan. The Government of India got positive responses from these countries. After talks with France, Jaishankar tweeted that among other things, the current security and political situation was discussed.
Jaishankar also spoke to foreign ministers of countries such as Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Mexico and Ireland. He thanked them all for their support in the UN Security Council and also briefed them about China’s aggression in Ladakh and Sikkim.
Diplomatic sources said that there was curiosity about information related to the ongoing tension between India and China in all these countries; they wanted to know how India planned to deal with the face-off with China.
Security officials told The Daily Guardian that PM Modi’s visit to Ladakh clearly expressed India’s intentions vis-à-vis Chinese aggression. The PM’s visit sent a strong message to the China government and the whole world that India was not going to back down.
According to government sources, India’s quiet but firm diplomatic efforts got support and sympathy from the world community. In the meantime, China’s continued aggressive stance with its other neighbours made India’s task a lot easier.
Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a two-hour-long video conference meeting with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Sources said Doval had prepared a strategy to tackle Chinese counterpart with guidance from PM Modi and in coordination with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and Foreign Minister Jaishankar. During the talk with the Chinese Foreign Minister, India’s intention was clear that the steps to withdraw the PLA should be done as per the 6 June understanding.