Explained: The latest clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal’s Tawang

The tensions between India and China have escalated once again. The troops clashed at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh on 9 December before disengaging.The Indian and Chinese soldiers had a face-off for the first time since the encounter in Galwan in eastern Ladakh in June 2020. The December 9 encounter led to minor injuries to Indian and Chinese troops.Also read: India should be prepared for war with China: Why Xi Jinping may be tempted to open Himalayan fronts well before TaiwanWhat led to the latest skirmish?The encounter between the two sides took place at Yangtse in the early hours on 9 December. Around 300 to 400 soldiers from China’s People’s Liberation Army reportedly crossed the LAC.According to a report in ThePrint, the Chinese troops were carrying crude weapons. They intruded carrying taser guns, wooden clubs, spikes with nails, and monkey fists, made of iron and worn on wrists. They did not carry rifles, the report said.Indian soldiers deployed at Yangtse took on their rivals “in a firm and resolute manner”. The Chinese were challenged by about 50 Indians who stopped their advance. In 30 minutes, the backup team of Indian troops arrived at the spot, leading to a clash, ThePrint reports.There was stone pelting followed by hand-to-hand combat. The two sides reportedly beat each other up with sticks and canes.The clash led to minor injuries on both sides; some soldiers reportedly fractured their limbs. At least six Indian soldiers were wounded and were taken to the military hospital in Guwahati, a source told The Times of India.There were more injuries on the Chinese side, ThePrint reports. The PLA did not expect such a quick response from India.What is the Indian Army saying?Both sides were quick to disengage. In a brief statement, the army said, “Both sides immediately disengaged from the area. As a follow up of the incident, own (Indian) commander in the area held a flag meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity.”“In certain areas along the LAC in the Tawang sector in Arunachal, there are areas of differing perceptions, wherein both sides patrol the area up to their claim lines. This has been the trend since 2006,” it added.[caption id="attachment_11799341" align="alignnone" width="640"]

The 9 December face-off is the closest encounter between the two sides since the Galwan Valley incident in eastern Ladakh in June 2020. Representational picture/PTI[/caption]What has been the Indian government’s response?On Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called a high-level meeting to discuss the latest border clash. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval along with chiefs of all three defence forces-Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari arrived at Singh’s residence in Delhi.During the meeting, CDS Chauhan, and the chiefs of three defence services briefed the defence minister on the security situation along LAC.Congress and other Opposition parties’ sought a discussion on the border situation in both Houses. Proceedings were adjourned soon after they began on Tuesday as the Opposition insisted that the crucial border clash issued should be discussed.The defence minister said that there were no deaths or serious injuries in the face-off with Chinese troops. “This matter has also been taken up with China through diplomatic channels. I want to assure the House that our forces are committed to guard our borders and ready to thwart any attempt that will be made to challenge it,” Singh said in Lok Sabha.

What do we know about Yangtse?This is reportedly the second major face-off between India and China at Yangtse in Eastern Tawang. In October 2021, the troops clashed at the same location. In June 2016, around 250 PLA soldiers crossed over into the area but no stand-off was reported.The 9 December fight took place at a nullah along the LAC at 3 am. This part of the border is one of the “agreed disputed areas” between India and China, according to a report by The Indian Express.A government source told the newspaper that the transgression from China was pre-planned. After snowfall in the region, some Indian troops often withdraw from their position, giving the PLA an upper hand.The clash at Yangtse has put India on high alert.Will the situation escalate?Amid high-level meetings, India has reportedly started combat air patrols over Arunachal, reports NDTV.The Indian Air Force is flying combat patrols over the region to prevent violations of air space. According to the report, there is increased air activity by the Chinese side.How tense is the situation along the LAC?Confrontations between India and China have been taking place since 2006 because of “differing perceptions” of the border. Tensions escalated after the deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in Juine 2020 which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers. What followed was as a series of stand-offs between the two countries including one at the south bank of Pangong Lake.However, this September, Indian and Chinese troops pulled back in the Gogra Hotspring area of Eastern Ladakh. This came after over 16 rounds of military commander-level talks which started in May 2020 after several incursions by PLA.Now after the latest face-off, the two nations are walking on thin ice once again.With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.