In a video clip shared by news agency ANI, the Tibetan community living in Himachal Pradesh’s capital Shima was seen cheering for the Indian army. The Indian soldiers who were headed to LAC were heartily welcomed by the Tibetan community members who greeted them with Indian flags, Tibetan flags and white scarves.
#WATCH Himachal Pradesh: Members of Tibetan community in Shimla cheer for security forces as they leave for LAC along India-China border in Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. pic.twitter.com/nx97dk8mOw
— ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2020
Similar scenes were seen in Manali earlier, soon after the mid-June clashes between the Indian Army and Chinese troops that had resulted in casualties on both sides, with China never even acknowledging their fallen soldiers.
Internationally too, members of the Tibetan community have been hailing India’s soldiers and PM Modi’s leadership for standing up to China’s bullying and expansionist designs in the region. The Tibetan government in exile, which have their headquarters in Himachal Pradesh’s Dharmashala, had also urged the Indian government to address China’s continuing occupation of their homeland Tibet.
Indian Army takes control of the northern and southern banks of the Pangong Tso Lake
Amidst the escalated tension with China in the Ladakh sector after provocative Chinese actions on the southern bank of Pangong Tso, it was reported that the Indian armed forces successfully took control of crucial strategic heights in both the northern bank and southern banks of the Pangong Tso Lake around the Chushul sector in Eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Indian officials have stated that the action was needed to thwart Chaina’s designs to take control of crucial locations under India’s Territory.
On August 30, the Indian Army, aided by a Special Frontier Force unit, had captured the heights lying between the southern bank of the Pangong Tso and the smaller Spanggur Lake further south.
On September 2nd it was also reported that Indian armed forces have attained control of crucial strategic heights in the northern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake. The northern banks of Pangong Tso have been one of the key areas in the ongoing border confrontation in the high-altitude snow deserts of Ladakh.
Following the manoeuvres, the security along the LAC has been enhanced. The chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat on Thursday said Pakistan could try to take advantage of any threat developing along India’s northern borders, but also stressed that if Pakistan at all attempts any “misadventure” it would suffer “heavy losses”.
