India pitches for hotline with China at DGMO level

NEW DELHI: India will push for establishing a hotline with China between the military leaders of the two countries for avoiding and handling situations such as the recent 21-day stand-off in Ladakh.

The proposal for establishing the direct line between the Director General of Military Operation (DGMO)-level officers of the two countries was discussed at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday, sources said here today.

The proposal is expected to come up for discussion during the bilateral meetings of the two sides, they said.

The two sides have also discussed proposals to set up hotlines between India's Northern and Eastern Army Commanders with their Chinese counterparts but not much progress has been made in this direction so far.

At present, three hotlines exist between the Armies of the two countries at Spamgur Gap, Nathula and Bumla-- the three locations where the two sides meet for Border Personnel Meetings.

These existing hotlines are between Brigadier-level officers while the new hotline being considered would be at the DGMO-level and is expected to help in early resolution of situations like the one which happened in Depsang valley in Ladakh on April 15 when Chinese troops intruded 19 km into Indian territory crossing the Line of Actual Control.

The proposed hotline would be on the lines of the one between India and Pakistan where the DGMOs of the two Armies talk to each other on Tuesday and discuss problems, if any, between the two Armies.

Sources said such a hotline with China would be very useful as the two share a disputed boundary and troops of the two sides often cross each other while patrolling in their perceived areas along the LAC.