Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, leading to minor injuries on both sides, reported news agency ANI.
“On 9th Dec 2022, PLA troops contacted the LAC in Tawang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh which was contested by Indian troops in a firm and resolute manner. This face-off led to minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides. Both sides immediately disengaged from the area,” said ANI quoting sources.
As a follow-up of the incident, India’s Commander in the area held a Flag Meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquility.
“In certain areas along the LAC in the Tawang Sector in Arunachal Pradesh, there are areas of differing perception, wherein both sides patrol the area upto their claim lines. This has been the trend since 2006,” the sources added.
Notably, the Indian troops had intercepted Chinese soldiers in the same region in October last year. Around 200 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers were intercepted close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh.
However, this is the first major confrontation reported between Indian and Chinese troops since the one near the disputed Pangong Lake in Ladakh in May 2020. The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas.
Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area. Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive sector.
