Indian Army's two-hour faceoff with Chinese Troops: Heightened Tensions at LAC

The Indian Army engaged in a brief face-off with Chinese PLA troops last week in Tawang, according to reports from the Indo-China border. Local commanders intervened in the situation and persuaded both forces to retreat without going into a battle.

In Arunachal Pradesh, troops are said to have met again on the Indo-China boundary. However, it was discovered that the event did not result in a battle. The event occurred last week in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district.

This is owing to the uncertainties around the Line of Control, according to military officials. During a routine patrol, Indian soldiers noticed a troop of PLA soldiers near the LAC sector. According to reports, both soldiers had been standing face to face for two hours before local commanders intervened in the situation. The situation was apparently addressed following conversations amongst local commanders and both troops retreated without going into an encounter. 

The 3,488-kilometer-long LAC is the center of the India-China border dispute. Arunachal Pradesh is claimed by China as part of southern Tibet, which India denies. When patrols from both sides physically collide, the issue is handled according to agreed-upon protocols and methods.

Even though there have been several encounters on both countries' borders, since the Indo-China war in the 1960s. However, since the confrontations in the Galvan Valley on June 15, last year, tensions between India and China have been severe. The largest military clash between the two sides in decades took place in Galvan. During the battles, 40 Chinese and 20 Indian soldiers were killed, while Chinese officials claim that just 20 of their men were killed.