‘Boundary issue causes face-offs’

NEW DELHI: After Indian and Chinese soldiers scuffled twice along the disputed border between the two countries in Sikkim and Ladakh last week, the army on Tuesday reiterated that “face-offs and aggressive behaviour occur” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China as the boundary issue has not been resolved.

“Patrols disengage after local level interaction and dialogue. Temporary and short duration face-offs occur as the boundary is not resolved. Troops resolve such incidents mutually as per established protocols,” the army said in a statement.

HT was the first to report on May 10 about the intensifying India-China border tensions in north Sikkim, where 150 soldiers were involved in a tense standoff a day earlier. Four Indian and seven Chinese soldiers were injured at Naku La during a confrontation that was later resolved. Aggressive behaviour by the two sides resulted in injuries to troops on both sides, the army said in a statement on May

10. Scores of soldiers from the two countries also clashed near Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh last week, as reported by HT on May

11. While a few soldiers on both sides were injured in the scuffle that involved around 250 men, a flare-up was avoided as both armies stuck to protocols to resolve the standoff.

Chinese helicopter activity was observed across the LAC, the de facto border, on May 6 after the face-off was resolved. China sought to downplay the aggressive confrontation, saying both countries should uphold peace.