Blocked China on border, India says as tensions up
SRINAGAR, India — India said Monday its soldiers thwarted “provocative” movements by China’s military near a disputed border in the Ladakh region months into the rival nations’ deadliest standoff in decades.
China’s military said it was taking “necessary actions in response,” without giving details.
Local military commanders from the two countries were meeting along the disputed frontier on Monday to resolve the issues, India’s defense ministry said. It said India was committed to dialogue “but is also equally determined to protect its territorial integrity.”
The statement said China’s People’s Liberation Army on Saturday night “carried out provocative military movements to change the status quo” and “violated the previous consensus arrived at during military and diplomatic engagements” to settle the standoff in the cold-desert region.
In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said border forces were communicating over recent matters but gave no details.
“Chinese border troops always act in strict compliance with the Line of Actual Control, and have never crossed the line for any activities,” Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing.
In a statement, China’s defense ministry accused Indian troops of crossing established lines of control and creating provocations along the southern shore of Pangong Lake and nearby areas.
“The Chinese military is now taking necessary actions in response, will closely follow developments and resolutely safeguard sovereignty over Chinese territory, along with peace and stability along the border,” it said.
India’s defense ministry issued its statement after a gap of a day and did not give details of the nature of the new incident.
Two Indian security officials said that over two dozen Chinese soldiers walked into Indian-held territory on Saturday night but were blocked by Indian troops and forced to go back.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations, said the incident did not involve a physical clash.
The defense ministry’s statement said Indian troops “undertook measures to strengthen our positions and thwart Chinese intentions to unilaterally change facts on ground.”
It said the activity took place on the southern bank of Pangong Lake, a glacial lake divided by the de-facto frontier between the rivals and where the India-China face off began in early May on the lake’s northern flank.
Indian military experts said the latest incident occurred in Chushul sector, where the two sides were generally respecting each other’s positions.
“We never had any problem in this place and we hold it pretty strongly,” said Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who served as the Indian military’s northern commander. “After relative calm, China has suddenly opened a fresh, brand new front. It’s a huge provocation.”