NEW DELHI – India acknowledged for the first time Thursday that it hasmatched China in massing troops at their contested Himalayan border regionafter a deadly clash this month.
But India’s foreign ministry accused China of causing the tensions bystarting military deployments, and warned relations between the world’s twomost populous nations could be undermined if the standoff continues.
The neighbours have blamed each other for a June 15 battle in the Ladakhregion in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed while China suffered anunknown number of casualties.Ad
While each has said it wants to de-escalate the territorial showdown,India’s foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said “both sidesremain deployed in large numbers in the region, while military anddiplomatic contacts are continuing”.
Srivastava said “Chinese actions” on the unofficial border, known as theLine of Actual Control (LAC), led to this month’s deadly fight with rocksand batons. No shots were fired.
“At the heart of the matter is that since early May, the Chinese side hasbeen amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the LAC,”the spokesman charged.
He added that China had obstructed India’s patrols in contravention ofaccords made to avoid skirmishes between their armies, who fought a borderwar in 1962 and have regularly clashed since.
Srivastava said Chinese forces had built “structures” on the Indian side oftheir demarcation line in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh where thehigh-altitude battle was fought.
“While there have been occasional departures in the past, the conduct ofChinese forces this year has been in complete disregard of all mutuallyagreed norms,” the spokesman said.
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India had “to undertake counter deployments” because of the Chinesebuildup, he said.
Military commanders have held talks and their foreign ministers have alsodiscussed ways to end the showdown.
“Peace and tranquility in the border areas is the basis of our bilateralrelationship,” said Srivastava, demanding that China follow up on itspledge to cool tensions.
“A continuation of the current situation would only vitiate the atmospherefor the development of the relationship.”
China has accused Indian forces of causing the June 15 battle by attackingits troops.
Beijing has also called on India “to immediately stop all infringing andprovocative actions.” – APP/AFP
