A day after a major scuffle, including stone pelting, between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh after the security forces foiled an infiltration attempt by China’s PLA (People’s Liberation Army) soldiers, sources said there has been a Brigadier-level meet in Chushil village of Leh district on Wednesday.
Both sides reiterated that the other tried to enter its territory along the banks of famous Pangong lake in Ladakh, the sources said. The top officials of both the countries, however, agreed to calm down the ‘temperature’ and suggested that they don’t any such incident to happen again.
The two sides have also agreed that tension on other sections of border (referring to the ongoing military faceoff in Doklam area) should not spill over to the other sections of the border.
On Tuesday, Indian border guards foiled an attempt by Chinese soldiers to enter Indian territory along the banks of famous Pangong lake in Ladakh resulting in stone pelting that caused minor injuries to people on both sides, officials said.
Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) tried to enter the Indian side in two areas -- Finger Four and Finger Five -- twice between 6 am and 9 am. But on both the occasions their attempts were thwarted by alert Indian troops, they said.
After Chinese troopers found their path blocked by Indian soldiers who formed a human chain, they began hurling stones, prompting a swift retaliation by Indian border guards.
Personnel from both sides received minor injuries and the situation was brought under control after the customary banner drill under which both sides hold banners before stepping back to their respective positions.
Chinese troops had managed to enter upto Finger Four area in the region from where they were sent back. This area has been a bone of contention between India and China as both claim it to be a part of their territory.
When the Indian side staked claim to the area during negotiations in late 1990s, the Chinese army constructed a metal-top road and insisted it was part of Aksai Chin, which is under the latter's control, officials said.
China had constructed a road up to Finger Four which falls under Siri Jap area and is five km deep into the LAC.
Earlier, the Chinese patrols used to come frequently from the northern and southern banks of this lake, whose 45 km stretch is on the Indian side while 90 km is on the Chinese side.
Indian forces are now armed with high-speed interceptor boats, bought from the US, which can accommodate nearly 15 soldiers and are equipped with radars, infra-red and GPS systems.
These boats are said to be as good as Chinese vessels and are used to conduct reconnaissance and area domination patrols.
The situation along the banks of the lake has always remained volatile with Chinese troops being intercepted by Indian Army patrol several times after the three-week long stand-off in the Depsang plains of Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in May 2013.
Unaware of scuffle between Indian, Chinese troops, says Beijing
Beijing on Wednesday said that it was not aware of the reports of PLA soldiers entering Indian territory along the banks of the Pangong Lake in Ladakh and said it is committed to peace and tranquillity along the border.
Asked to comment on the incident, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hu Chunying said, "I am not aware of the information."
She said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops always patrol along the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
"The Chinese side is committed to peace and tranquillity of the China-India border," she said.
"We urge the Indian side abide by the LAC and relevant conventions between the two sides," she said.
The incident came amid the ongoing face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam plateau across the border of Sikkim. China has repeatedly asked India to unilaterally withdraw from the Doklam area, or else face the prospect of an escalation. Chinese state media have warned India of a fate worse than its crushing defeat during the brief border war in 1962.
Trouble began in June when India sent troops to stop China building a road in the Doklam area, which is remote, uninhabited territory claimed by both China and India's ally Bhutan. India says it had warned that the road would be seen as a security violation because of its strategic location near the trijunction of the borders of India, China and Bhutan.
