India has been insisting that pending a final settlement of the boundary dispute, China should work with New Delhi for maintaining peace and tranquility along the LAC.
representational image (iStock photo)
Indian and Chinese troops were involved in a brief face-off near Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh last week, sources in the defence establishment confirmed today.
The matter was resolved following a meeting between local commanders of the two countries as per established protocols, sources added.
The incident occurred at a time when the two sides have been busy discussing the date for the next round of talks between their military commanders to discuss disengagement in remaining areas in Eastern Ladakh where a stand-off between the two armies has been going on since April-May last year.
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It is learnt that the face-off in the Tawang sector took place after a Chinese patrol tried to enter Indian territory. The troops of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were forced back.
Sources said the incident apparently was the result of “differences in perception of the LAC” between the countries since the India-China border has not been formally demarcated.
Sources said, “Physical engagement can last for a few hours prior to disengaging as per mutual understanding. However, there has been no damage to defences.”
India has been insisting that pending a final settlement of the boundary dispute, China should work with New Delhi for maintaining peace and tranquility along the LAC.
At a media briefing here yesterday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said it was China’s provocative behaviour and its unilateral attempts to alter status quo in contravention of all bilateral agreements that resulted in serious disturbance of peace and tranquility along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.
The Indian armed forces had to make appropriate counter deployments in Eastern Ladakh areas to ensure that India’s security interests were fully protected, he said.
The spokesperson said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also clearly told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Tajikistan last month that China had violated the bilateral agreements, resulting in the ongoing tensions in the border areas.
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