Indian and Chinese troops had engaged in a face-off in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh last week after scores of Chinese soldiers crossed over to the Indian side, three people familiar with the development said on Friday.
The news of the faceoff in Arunachal Pradesh comes as India and China are engaged in talks to resolve another standoff in eastern Ladakh where hundreds of thousands of soldiers of both sides are in confrontation.
The Arunachal Pradesh incident took place last week between the border pass of Bum La and Yangtse, close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), one of the people cited above said.
Indian troops “strongly contested” the Chinese soldiers’ incursion into Indian territory, the person cited above said.
“The matter was subsequently resolved at the local military commanders’ level. The situation was defused,” the person said adding that there was no damage to any Indian defences. The person denied news reports that said Chinese soldiers were held by the Indian side for a length of time.
“The India-China border has not been formally demarcated. So there is a difference in perception of LAC between the countries. Peace and tranquility in these areas of differing perceptions has been possible by adhering to existing agreements and protocols between the two countries,” a second person said. Both sides take up patrolling activities right up to their line of perception, the person said adding that this sometimes results in the two patrols coming face to face.
“Whenever patrols of both sides physically meet, the situation is managed according to established protocols and mechanisms agreed by both sides. Physical engagement can last for a few hours prior to disengaging as per mutual understanding,” the second person said.
Aggressive behaviour by the Chinese in this area is not new. Previously too Chinese troops transgressed into Indian territory, with one instance recorded in 2016 when more than 200 Chinese troops had come into the Indian side of the LAC at Yangtse, a third person said. At that time, the Chinese troops had returned after a few hours.
Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh has traditionally been a source of friction between India and China. In the 1962 war, China had captured Tawang though Chinese troops had retreated later. China claims Tawang saying that it is part of Tibet – ie southern Tibet given that it is seen as an important seat of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Arunachal incident comes after a month of a similar intrusion in Uttarakhand where Chinese troops had intruded into India’s side of the LAC at Barahoti.
India and China have been engaged in a standoff at the LAC in eastern Ladakh since May last year, even though a disengagement of troops from both sides has taken place at two of the several points of intrusion – at the Pangong Tso lake area and at Gogra post after many rounds of talks at the military and diplomatic levels. The two sides are yet to make a breakthrough on de-escalation ie on pulling back the thousands of troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
Last week Indian Army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane had said that the two countries would soon be holding the 13th round of Corps Commander-level talks on tensions in eastern Ladakh with the discussions expected to focus on disengagement of troops at the Hot Springs area. (Mint)
