NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday told Parliament that the Indian Army had thwarted the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PL)A attempt to “change the status quo” in the Yangtse area of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and forced them to move back to their posts.
Sources said the Chinese tried to capture a peak in the sector that is at 17,000 feet and overlooks the Chinese position, which gives India an advantage. The Chinese intrusion attempt was met with stiff resistance by two Indian Army units who chased them well into their side. A few Indian soldiers were also injured in the physical clash.
The Indian Air Force was also forced to scramble its fighter jets in the last few weeks in the sector after Chinese drones were found moving closer to the LAC.
“On 09 December 2022, PLA troops tried to transgress the LAC in the Yangtse area of Tawang sector and unilaterally change the status quo. The Chinese attempt was contested by our troops in a firm and resolute manner,” Singh said in identical statements in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Tuesday afternoon.
He said that the face-off led to a physical scuffle in which the Indian Army bravely prevented the PLA from transgressing into Indian territory and compelled them to return to their posts. “The scuffle led to injuries to a few personnel on both sides. I wish to share with this House that there are no fatalities or serious casualties on our side,” said Singh.
He said that due to timely intervention of Indian military commanders, PLA soldiers went back to their locations.
“As a follow-up of the incident, the local commander in the area held a flag meeting with his counterpart on 11 December 2022 to discuss the issue in accordance with established mechanisms. The Chinese side was asked to refrain from such actions and maintain peace and tranquility along the border,” said the defence minister. He informed Parliament that the issue had also been taken up with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels.
“I would like to assure this House that our forces are committed to protecting our territorial integrity and will continue to thwart any attempt made on it,” said Singh. The defence minister said that he was confident that House “will stand united in supporting our soldiers in their brave effort”.
Earlier in the morning, the defence minister had a meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff and the three service chiefs where the emerging situation along the LAC with China was discussed.
Since the military stand-off with China in May 2020, the Indian Army has increased its force deployment all along the LAC and has maintained a high level of alert.
Meanwhile, the Chinese PLA’s Western Theatre Command spokesperson on Tuesday claimed that its border troops were on a routine patrol on the Chinese side of the LAC in the eastern section of the China-India border on Friday when Indian troops “illegally crossed the line and blocked the Chinese forces.”
The spokesperson added: “The PLA dealt with the situation with professional, standard and powerful measures and stabilised the situation. The two sides have now disengaged from contact.”
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a routine press briefing in Beijing that the situation at the India-China border was “generally stable” and both sides have been maintaining open communication on border-related issues through diplomatic and military channels.
This is first big clash between the Indian Army and PLA soldiers at the LAC after the Galwan Valley incident on June 15, 2020, in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
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