More incidents of skirmishes between Indian, Chinese troops surface: Report
New details have emerged about previously undisclosed confrontations between Indian and Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Firstpost reported. These incidents were revealed through citations for bravery medals awarded to Indian Army servicemen during a recent investiture ceremony. The accounts describe how Indian forces responded assertively to aggressive actions by Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers along the LAC between September 2021 and November 2022.
Why does this story matter?
India-China relations have been strained since 2020, when their forces clashed on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Ladakh sector. The Indian Army has been on high alert along the 3,488 km-long LAC, since clashes. Numerous confrontations have occurred between Indian and Chinese forces since the dispute began in May 2020.
Army personnel awarded for thwarting December 9 Chinese transgression attempt
One of the confrontations between the two countries took place on December 9, 2022. According to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's statement in Parliament four days after the incident, PLA troops tried to cross the LAC in the Yangtse area of Tawang Sector, attempting to change the status quo. Indian troops opposed the Chinese attempt, resulting in injuries on both sides. Several armymen part of the team that thwarted the attempted transgression were also conferred awards at the ceremony, Firspost reported.
YouTube account that shared the video taken down
Headquartered in Chandimandir, the Army's Western Command shared a video on January 13, which included a commentary on the bravery medal. However, the YouTube channel, which featured the video and commentary, was deactivated on Monday. The Army has not issued a statement on the incident.
Long-standing border conflict between India, China
China occupied the Aksai Chin area of J&K and abandoned Arunachal Pradesh, which it regards to be part of the Tibet region, during the 1962 war with India. The two countries do not have an official international border but rather an LAC with conflicting conceptions of a 3,400-kilometer de facto border. Furthermore, the 2020 Galwan Valley skirmishes severely strained India-China relations. Recent military and diplomatic talks have also apparently failed to provide a breakthrough in resolving the situation.
China continues to develop military infrastructure along LAC: Pentagon
China continues to maintain a considerable military presence along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India, The Times of India reported in October last year, citing the Pentagon's yearly assessment of Chinese military capability. The report titled "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China" says China is aggressively creating border infrastructure. China has reportedly outperformed prior predictions, with over 500 operational nuclear weapons and will likely have over 1,000 by 2030.
