Pre-empting China’s suspicious activities near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the days to come, the Indian Army has further consolidated its position and occupied more heights on the north bank of Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh, sources said on Thursday.

According to sources, the Indian Army now has a tactical advantage on both the north and south banks of Pangong Tso which overlook Chinese positions on the ridgelines in the Finger 4 area.  Even though the Chinese troops continue to sit atop the Finger 4 ridgeline, the Indian Army has taken over other heights to put pressure on the PLA, according to Army sources.This is likely to help India in future negotiations as China is not willing to pull back from the Finger 4 mountain tops earlier. This has resulted in the disengagement process between the two countries coming to a halt. On the south side of the lake, which has become the new friction point, the Indian Army seems to be in an advantageous position.

With the Indian Army taking control of heights around the Finger 4 area, China has started building up its forces on the north bank of the Pangong Tso and is trying to come closer to the Indian position near the ridgeline.The Indian Army has occupied heights that allow it to dominate the Moldo Garrison and the Spangur Gap under Chinese control. Both India and China had earlier claimed some of these heights.One of the most critical heights the Indian Army is manning is the Rechin La, following which the Chinese Army had strongly protested. At present, the Indian Army enjoys a vantage point, not just to monitor Chinese military bases on the south bank of the Pangong Lake, but also keep an eye on the Finger 4 area on the north of the lake.

It may be noted that the mountain spurs jutting out into the lake at more than 14,000 feet are referred to as fingers.