Tension is gradually building up between Indian and Chinese armies in several areas in Ladakh and northern Sikkim along the un-demarcated Sino-India border
Both the Indian and Chinese armies have brought in more troops in sensitive locations like Demchok, Daulat Beg Oldie and areas around Galwan river as well as Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh, the authoritative sources said on Tuesday.
The area around Galwan has been a point of friction between the two sides for over six decades. They had a showdown over it in 1962 as well.
The sources said both the sides have deployed their troops around Galwan river and Pangong Tso lake the two areas where they used to carry out border patrol.
It is learnt that Chinese side has erected a sizeable number of tents in the Galwan Valley area following which India is keeping a hawk-eye vigil there.
On May 5, around 250 Indian and Chinese army personnel clashed with iron rods, sticks, and even resorted to stone-pelting in the Pangong Tso lake area in which soldiers on both sides sustained injuries.
In a separate incident, nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector on May 9. At least 10 soldiers from both sides sustained injuries in the incident, according to the sources.
However from Indian side Neither the Army nor the Ministry of External Affairs commented on the escalating tension between the two armies.
In its reaction to the two face-offs, the Ministry of External Affairs last week said it remained committed to maintaining peace and tranquility along the border with China, noting that such incidents could have been avoided if there was a common perception about the frontier.
A report by China’s official media on Monday said Chinese troops have bolstered their border control measures in the Galwan Valley in the Aksai Chin region.
The Chinese action followed “India’s recent, illegal construction of defence facilities across the border into Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley region,” a write-up in the state-run Global Times tabloid said, quoting unnamed military sources.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first informal summit in April 2018 in the Chinese city of Wuhan, months after the Doklam standoff.
In the summit, the two leaders decided to issue “strategic guidance” to their militaries to strengthen communications so that they can build trust and understanding.
Modi and Xi held their second informal summit in Mamallapuram near Chennai in October last year with a focus on further broadening bilateral ties.adakh, north Sikkim
