China’s latest incursion bid was deliberate move to provoke India: says  US intelligence

Washington: China’s transgression attempt near the southern bank of Pangong lake, which was thwarted by the Indian Army, was a deliberate move to provoke India, according to American intelligence assessment. Beijing is infuriated with its local commander withdrawing forces when a physical conflict appeared imminent, added the assessment report.

 

Washington said Indian troops have prevented any loss of ground, according to a source familiar with the assessment who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Pangong Tso region situated high in the Himalayas is considered to be within India’s territorial control, according to US News and World Report.

Complete coverage: India-China stand-off. The US believes that Indian forces were better prepared to face the Chinese provocation following the violent standoff in June in the Galwan valley in which 20 Indian soldiers and an undisclosed many number of Chinese troops had lost their lives.

 

The assessment did not conclude whether the Chinese forces were the first to act in a provocative manner in this case. However, the US has chosen to side with India due to China’s past provocative behaviour.

 

Indian officials are slated to meet with their counterparts virtually from the US, Australia and Japan later this month for a summit, which Indian sources say will likely result in a new intelligence-sharing agreement among the countries.

 

American intelligence officials and local analysts have questioned the timing of the latest stand-off even as China seeks to project that it wants to ease tensions. according to TOI media reports.