Indian and Chinese troops clashed near the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector on the 9th of December 9 and personnel from both sides suffered minor injuries in the face-off, news agency ANI reported on Monday.
The development comes as India and China are engaged in talks to resolve another standoff in eastern Ladakh.
More than 30 Indian soldiers suffered injuries during the face-off and of them, at least six injured soldiers in Tawang sector were brought to Guwahati for treatment, news agency PTI reported.
According to reports, the Indian troops resolutely confronted the Chinese PLA soldiers. Injuries on the Chinese side were reportedly “much higher than on the Indian side”.
“Indian troops in Tawang gave befitting response to Chinese troops. Number of Chinese soldiers injured is more than that of Indian soldiers. The Chinese had come heavily prepared with around 300 soldiers but didn’t expect Indian side also to be well prepared,” ANI quoted military sources as saying. Both sides then immediately disengaged from the area.
After the skirmish, commanders from both sides held a flag meeting to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity.
In certain areas along the LAC in the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh the boundary is undefined. This is not the first time the area has seen a face-off between the Indian and Chinese troops. This has been the trend since 2006.
In October 2021, Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a face-off in Tawang after scores of Chinese soldiers crossed over to the Indian side.
This is the first incident of its kind after the June 15, 2020, incident when 20 Indian soldiers were killed and several others were injured in violent clashes with the PLA troops in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley.