Army foils Chinese aggression in Ladakh again, holds ground

China had since accused Indian soldiers of firing warning shots in the air during a confrontation, a ploy Beijing uses to mislead their domestic and international audience. 

In a statement, the Army asserted that at no stage had Indian soldiers crossed the Line of Actual Control (LAC) or resorted to any aggressive means, including firing. 

"It is the PLA that has been blatantly violating agreements and carrying out aggressive manoeuvres, while engagement at military, diplomatic and political level is in progress," said India.

The fresh standoff took place at Rechin La to the south of Pangong Lake, where Indian troops recently gained advantage by occupying heights. 

India is reported to have moved more resources, including troops and tanks and the Indian Army continues to hold ground in the region in spite of repeated provocations by the Chinese army.

After suspected abduction of five Indian citizens from Arunachal Pradesh by the People’s Liberation Army, China on Monday also denied having any knowledge about the five missing youths. Instead China repeated its claim on Arunachal Pradesh, claiming the people there as its citizens.

“China’s position on the east sector of the China-India boundary, or Zangnan (the southern part of China’s Xizang), is consistent and clear. The Chinese government has never recognised the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’. I’m not aware of the situation you mentioned,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said.

In reiterating China’s official position, the spokesperson was suggesting that it could not “abduct” its own citizens.

China’s reiteration of its position on Arunachal, in the middle of the military standoff in eastern Ladakh, was in response to a question in the daily briefing on a tweet by minister of state for youth affairs and sports Kiren Rijiju in which he had said that the Indian Army had sent a “hotline message” to PLA about the missing individuals and a response was awaited.