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NEW DELHI: India said on Monday (Aug 31) that Chinese troops carried out military moves over the weekend to change the status quo on its disputed border in a new outbreak between the two sides.
Having seen the movement of Chinese troops on a hill along the At the disputed border in the western Himalayas, Indian troops mobilized to deter further invasion, and the confrontation did not turn into a showdown between the two sides, Indian military and government sources told Reuters.
“On the night of August 29-30, 2020, PLA troops violated the previous consensus reached during military and diplomatic clashes during the ongoing clash in eastern Ladakh and carried out provocative military moves to change the status quo, “the Indian military said in the statement.
China rejected the accusation that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops had crossed the border, but tensions between the two armies in the snowy deserts of the Ladakh region have risen for several months.
READ: Indian Prime Minister Modi warns China about border tensions
India said its soldiers thwarted China’s attempt to “unilaterally change the facts on the ground.”
The statement added that the two sides were holding military talks on Monday.
On June 15, troops from both sides fought hand-to-hand combat in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed. China also acknowledged the casualties, but did not provide figures.
READ: China and India prepare for more talks to reduce the escalation of the confrontation in the Himalayas
The Indian statement said Chinese troops “violated the consensus” to ease border tensions.
“Indian troops anticipated this PLA activity on the southern shore of Pangong Tso Lake, took steps to strengthen our positions and thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change the facts on the ground,” the ministry said.
“A flag meeting is being held at the brigade commander level in Chushul to resolve the issues.”
A source in New Delhi informed about the incident said that Chinese troops had tried to advance on a hill on the shores of the lake, which India considers part of its territory.
The Chinese troops were “deterred by the rapid movement” of the Indian troops, the source said. Still, Chinese forces had entered, clearly violating the Royal Line of Control, the de facto border, the source said.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry dismissed India’s accusations.
Chinese troops “always strictly abide by the Royal Line of Control and never cross the line,” spokesman Zhao Lijian told a news conference.
The two sides are in communication regarding the situation on the ground, Zhao said. And the Indian army said that military officers were meeting at the border.
In recent months, India has accused Chinese troops of stealthily crossing the border and building defense structures. Beijing has responded with counter-claims, accusing the Indian border guards of provocative actions.
Both sides have observed a protocol to refrain from using firearms on the disputed border, and during the deadly confrontation in June, soldiers fought with stones, clubs and their bare hands.
Despite several rounds of talks following the clash in the Galwan Valley, troops have remained at odds at other points along the border, including the shores of Lake Pangong Tso, which both countries claim in full.
India and China fought a war in 1962 over their competing territorial claims and have been unable to agree on a permanent border along their nearly 3,500 km border.
The latest incident is likely to stoke anxiety in New Delhi that China is struggling on the border issue, experts say.
“India has been trying to play down the intrusions since May in the hope that the talks will lead to a resolution. But this has only encouraged China,” said Brahma Chellaney, an expert on India-China relations.
Indian stocks fell sharply on news of the new outbreak at the border with China, wiping out previously earned gains. The top-line NSE Nifty 50 Index was 2.03 percent below Friday’s close and the S&P BSE Sensex was down 1.92 percent.
