NEW DELHI—Indian Defense Minister
Rajnath Singh
on Tuesday chaired a meeting over a fresh clash between Indian and Chinese security forces on their disputed border that took place last week, and told Indian lawmakers that the country’s forces were “fully committed to safeguarding our territorial integrity.”
The clash was first disclosed by the Indian army on Monday and is the first engagement between their troops since a deadly June 2020 confrontation between the two countries in the disputed Himalayan borders of Ladakh region in which 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese personnel died. That was the worst military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, who share a 2,000-mile largely mountainous border, in more than five decades.
Mr. Singh said soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army tried to transgress the Line of Actual Control—as the loosely defined de facto border is known—near the Yangtze area of Tawang sector in northeastern Arunachal Pradesh state on Dec. 9.
“The Chinese attempt was contested by our troops in a firm and resolute manner. The ensuing face-off led to a physical scuffle in which the Indian army bravely prevented the PLA from transgressing into our territory and compelled them to return to their posts,” the minister said.
Mr. Singh said none of the Indian soldiers had died, nor was anyone seriously injured in the face-off. “I would like to assure this house that our forces are fully committed to safeguarding our territorial integrity,” he said.
In response to a query Tuesday about the events described by India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman
Wang Wenbin
said that the border situation between China and India is largely stable.
“The two sides have always maintained smooth communications on border-related issues through diplomatic and military channels,” the spokesman said at the ministry’s regular press briefing, adding that they should abide by relevant agreements signed by both nations, and maintain peace in the border area.
After the 2020 incident, tensions remained high for months. India and China blamed each other for starting that fight, each saying the other was breaking established rules and boundaries for troop movements.
The latest skirmish is expected to further escalate…
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