India-China border tensions: Both countries accuse each other of firing on soldiers first

 

China says Indian troops have illegally fired "provocative shots" at Chinese troops patrolling the disputed border between the two countries.  A Chinese military spokesman said Chinese troops had to retaliate but did not say what. On the other hand, Indian officials have confirmed the firing of Chinese troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), alleging that China is openly violating agreements and its troops are involved in offensive operations on the border. The Indian military said in a statement that Chinese troops were trying to advance on the LAC on Monday in an area bordering India. "When our troops chased them, they tried to intimidate our troops by firing in the air," Delhi said, adding that despite the provocative move, the Indian troops showed professionalism and responsibility. This will be the first time in 45 years that firing has taken place on the border between the two countries. The two countries have agreed not to use weapons in the region. Tensions between the two countries have risen in the past few months. However, no statement has been issued by the Indian authorities regarding the latest incident. Tensions between New Delhi and Beijing escalated last week over reports of Chinese forces allegedly abducting five Indian nationals from a border state last week. India is sending military reinforcements and equipment to the border areas. The allegation was first made on Twitter by a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. An Indian cabinet minister later said a "hotline message" had been sent to the Chinese military. China has not yet issued a statement, but the allegations are likely to increase tensions between the two countries.   The alleged abduction took place near the border on September 3, State Legislative Assembly member Tapar Gao said in his tweet. He did not give further details. When a journalist asked Cabinet Minister Kiran Rejeju about the news on Twitter, he said he was waiting for a response from his Chinese counterpart. India twice accused China in August of escalating tensions with provocative military operations on the border. Beijing has denied both allegations. Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh met his Chinese counterpart in Moscow on September 5, but where the meeting was expected to improve the situation, it has seen bitterness between the two. China said border tensions were entirely India's fault and would not allow an inch of its territory to pass.  India has accused the Chinese of "gathering large numbers of troops, taking an aggressive stance and trying to unilaterally change the status quo."  Although no new incidents of violence have been reported, minor clashes have been reported and the situation on the border has been changing since June, according to analysts. Clashes between the two countries' troops in June killed 20 Indian soldiers. There were also unconfirmed reports of Chinese soldiers being killed. The two countries continue to accuse each other of crossing the border into the Ladakh region in the Himalayan range and starting fighting on the border of a troubled region that has not been demarcated properly. Despite several rounds of military and diplomatic talks, the two nuclear-armed neighbors have failed to resolve their differences over the border. Chinese forces reportedly abducted five Indian soldiers from a border state last week. Tensions are rising between Purdali and Beijing.  According to media reports, the skirmishes between the troops took place on a slope at an altitude of 14,000 feet in a mountainous area, in which some Indian soldiers fell into the icy waters of the Gulwan River. At least 76 Indian soldiers were reported injured and 20 killed. No casualties were reported from China. The clashes took place without weapons, due to a 1996 agreement banning guns and explosives in the area. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is a disputed border between the two countries that have not been demarcated properly. The line changes because of rivers, lakes, and snow-capped mountains. India has stepped up road construction along the border with China. In countries with two of the world's largest armies, troops from both sides fight each other from time to time. India has accused China of sending thousands of troops to the Gulwan Valley in Ladakh and occupying an area of ​​38,000 square kilometers. Several rounds of talks over the past three decades have failed to find a solution to the border dispute. There has been only one war between the two countries so far which was fought in 1962 and India lost. There are many reasons behind the current tensions, but strategic goals and superiority are the main reason and both sides are blaming each other. According to experts, the new road built by India in the remote and difficult-to-reach area of ​​the border with Ladakh will help in sending manpower and equipment to Delhi in the event of a collision in this vulnerable area from a defensive point of view. ۔ According to analysts, the acceleration in India's efforts to set up infrastructure has angered Beijing.