A face-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers near the northern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake in eastern Ladakh was resolved after delegation-level talks, Army sources said.
According to reports, Indian Army soldiers patrolling near the northern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake were stopped by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers on Wednesday morning. Following this, the troops of the two countries were engaged in a heated exchange which continued till evening.
Army sources said the incident occurred due to deferring perceptions about the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China.
The matter has been de-escalated and disengaged fully after delegation-level talks between the two sides.
“The matter has been de-escalated and disengaged fully after delegation-level talks yesterday. This occurs due to differing perceptions of LAC (Line of Actual Control). There are established mechanisms to resolve such occurrences,” an Army source said.
Two-thirds of the Pangong lake is controlled by China. The Line of Actual Control passes through the lake.
Incidentally, the confrontation took place in the same area where Indian and Chinese troops had engaged in a bitter scuffle during the Doklam standoff.
In 2017, a video had surfaced purportedly showing a clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers near the Pangong Lake. Soldiers from the two nations were seen punching and kicking one another and ultimately pelting stones at each other.
According to reports, a few soldiers were also injured in the clash that occurred on August 15, 2017.
India and China were also locked in a face-off for over two months in the Doklam area of the Sikkim sector in 2017.
The 73-day Doklam standoff which began on June 16 over PLA’s plans to build a road in the area claimed by Bhutan, ended on August 28 following mutual agreement between India and China.
China claimed it was constructing the road within their territory which India had objected saying the territory does not belong to China.
The Doklam standoff had brought the two countries to the brink of a full-fledged war in 2017.
Last month, Beijing had said it was concerned over India’s decision to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and added it was “unacceptable” that New Delhi had changed Ladakh’s status.
On August 5, India revoked Article 370, that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories – Kashmir and Ladakh.