MEA debunks China's 'nonfactual' accusation of India encroaching Chinese territory

Minister of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday rejected China's accusation of India encroaching on Chinese lands along the LAC. Bagchi, in an official release, debunked China's statements, which were nonfactual. During a press briefing, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying was asked about India deploying forces and 'sophisticated artillery' along the LAC to which, she had stated without putting any facts that the neighbours have illegally encroached on China's land and has long pursued the 'forward policy'. 

Rejecting the baseless accusation of China, Bagchi in his official statement said, "We had already made our position clear a few days back that we reject such statements which have no basis in facts. It was the amassing of a large number of troops by the Chinese side, their provocative behaviour, and unilateral attempts to alter the status quo in contravention of all our bilateral agreements that resulted in serious disturbance of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.

"China continues to deploy large number of troops and armaments in the border areas. It was in response to Chinese actions, that our armed forces had to make appropriate counter deployments in these areas to ensure that India’s security interests are fully protected," added Bagchi. 

India-China border disputes in LAC

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on 5 May last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area in which 20 Indian soldiers were martyred in a violent face-off in the Galwan Valley on June 15, 2020, including Commanding Officer Col B Santosh Babu, when Chinese forces attempted to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation in eastern Ladakh after tensions along the LAC. This was the first time since 1975 that Indian soldiers had died in a clash on the India-China border, and the episode marked a shift in the nature of the ties between the two countries.

In February 2021, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in his address to the Rajya Sabha said that both sides (China & India) had mutually agreed for disengagement of troops from the north and south of the Pangong lake and India had not conceded even an inch of its land to China. Meanwhile, several reports regarding the activities of China at the border regions have surfaced which includes installing panoramic cameras and a three-level surveillance system at the LAC area. 

(Image: AP/ANI)