India Accuses China of Another 'Provocative Action', Says Taken Defensive Measures

India and China have been engaged in border skirmishes for the last four months with troops from both sides coming to blows in Ladakh on 15 June. Despite several rounds of diplomatic and military level talks, the situation at the border remains tense.

India has accused China for undertaking provocative actions in the Ladakh region, even as the ground commanders on both sides were in discussions to de-escalate the situation in the Chushul area where a serious skirmish broke out on 29 August.

“Due to the timely defensive action, the Indian side was able to prevent these attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo,” Anurag Shrivastava, a spokesperson for the Indian foreign ministry said on Tuesday evening.

Indian foreign ministry has taken up the matter of “provocative and aggressive actions” with the Chinese side through both diplomatic and military channels and has urged them to “discipline and control their frontline troops from undertaking such provocative actions”.

The statement comes hours after the Chinese embassy in New Delhi asked the Indian side to withdraw troops that reportedly crossed the border on the southern bank of Pangong Lake, near the Regin Pass in the western sector of the China-India border.

The second round of talk between commanders of the two Asian giants broke up without an agreement on Tuesday. India and China have been closely engaged in working to reach an agreement in the Ladakh region through diplomatic and military channels over the past three months. This comes after a violent clash erupted on 15 June in the Galwan valley in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.

“The actions and behaviour of the Chinese side since earlier this year along the Line of Actual Control has been in clear violation of the bilateral agreements and protocols concluded between the two countries to ensure peace and tranquility on the border. Such actions are also in complete disregard to the understandings reached between the two Foreign Ministers as also the Special Representatives,” Shrivastava added.

The two countries share a 4,057 kilometre border, stretching from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh. As the border is loosely demarcated, it has been remained a source of tension between the two countries for decades.