India-China troops clash near LAC in Arunachal’s Tawang border: Rajnath Singh briefs Parliament | India News
NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday briefed Lok Sabha on the clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.
The minister said that China unilaterally tried to change the status quo in Arunachal but the Indian forces forced them to retreat to their side of the border. “There was no loss of life or any serious injury to our soldiers. Chinese side has been asked to refrain from such actions, maintain peace, tranquillity along border,” he added.
Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh last week, the first such encounter between the neighbours since the deadly Galwan valley incident in June 2020. At least six Indian soldiers are believed to have sustained injuries and are being treated at the Army hospital in Guwahati.
The incident took place on December 9 after 300-400 soldiers from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) intruded across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which was “contested” by Indian soldiers deployed there “in a firm and resolute manner”.
Here are the latest developments:
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin has said that the situation at the India-China border was “generally stable”. Briefing Parliament over Tawang clash, Rajnath Singh said that our armed forces are always ready to stop any attempt of transgression at our borders. “This matter has also been taken up with China through diplomatic channels. I want to assure the House that our forces are committed to guarding our borders and ready to thwart any attempt that will be made to challenge it,” the defence minister said in Parliament. Rajnath chaired a meeting of the senior military officials over the clashes between Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh. According to reports, external affairs minister S Jaishankar, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Anil Chauhan, all three service chiefs were present at the meeting. The defence minister received updates on the clash between troops of both sides in Tawang. Union home minister Amit Shah said that no one can capture one inch of land till the Narendra Modi government is in power even as the opposition demanded a discussion on clashes. Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala gave a Suspension of Business Notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha to discuss the India-China face-off in Tawang. TMC has also submitted a notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha, asking the government to present a statement today in Parliament on the clash. Congress has urged the Prime Minister to make a statement and have a discussion in the House. Congress MP Manish Tewari gave adjournment notice in the Lok Sabha. Tewari in the notice said, “I wish to draw the attention of the government to the grave border situation with China emerging from the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh. These clashes took place at a nullah along the LAC near a point called the Yangtze in Eastern Tawang.” Shiv Sena MP (Uddhav Thackeray faction) Priyanka Chaturvedi also gave notice in Rajya Sabha under rule 176 for short duration discussion on the present border situation along the India-China border. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge took a swipe at the Centre and said that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be “honest” as the issues of national security would not politicize it. “Again our Indian Army soldiers have been provoked by the Chinese. Our jawans fought in a resolute manner and a few of them were injured too. We are one with the nation on the issues of National Security and would not like to politicize it. But Modi Government should be honest,” tweeted Mallikarjun Kharge.