Pic: Twitter
New Delhi / Beijing: China has “lodged solemn representations” with India and urged New Delhi not to “complicate” the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by “crossing the border or taking any unilateral action”, Beijing said according to the Chinese government-backed English daily, Global Times and reported in the print.in.
This followed the confirmation by the Army the killing of three Indian soldiers in a “violent face-off” with Chinese troops late Monday amid the “de-escalation” process. Reports say there were a number of casualties on the Chinese side – up to 5 fatalities and 11 injured according to a report in Indiatvnews.com
China and Indian side agreed to resolve the bilateral issues through dialogue to ease the border situation and maintain peace and tranquility in border areas: Chinese FM https://t.co/2cuo0TEpzd
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) June 16, 2020
There was no immediate official comment from the Ministry of External Affairs or the Prime Minister, even as Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and the three Service chiefs held an emergency meeting to deescalate the situation and diffuse the rising tensions.
Chinese troops are alleged to have occupied parts of Indian territory in eastern Ladakh, including in the Galwan Valley. The Army chief Gen. M.M. Naravane, had said last week that both sides are now “disengaging in a phased manner”. It was during disengagement that a violent engagement took place and three Indian soldiers were killed.
The army chief also said at the passing out parade of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), that “we have a very strong relationship with Nepal”. But this relationship was scarred soon after when the Nepali Parliament passed a bill to include Indian territory on the map of its country.
It does seem that India’s neighbors are testing its patience as the country grapples with the Coronavirus crisis.
