Ladakh incursion: India, China hold second flag meeting

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi/Srinagar: Local military commanders of India and China on Tuesday morning held a second flag meeting over the recent Chinese incursion into Ladakh. As per reports, the Chinese troops had intruded 10 kilometres deep inside Indian territory in Ladakh and set up a tented post there. Following the incursion, the Indian Army is reported to have moved in more troops in the region. A leading English daily on Tuesday reported that an infantry regiment of the Army specialising in mountain warfare has been sent to Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector in Ladakh. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is also reported to have erected a tent post near the one set up by the Chinese troops, who are reported to have intruded inside the Indian territory on April 15. While the government has sought not to play up the issue in public, insiders say the leadership is worried as situation is tense. This is not the first time that Chinese troops have come deep inside the Indian territory. Such intrusions have taken place in the past too, across the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Today, Army Chief General Bikram Singh is beginning his two-day visit of Jammu and Kashmir. India had raised the issue with China last week immediately after the incident of Chinese incursion came to light. Apart from summoning the Chinese Ambassador to South Block, the Joint Secretary in MEA, who is heading the India-China joint working mechanism to deal with issues on the boundary from the Indian side, spoke to his counterpart in Beijing last week, emphasising on the need to resolve the issue. Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai had summoned the Chinese Ambassador Wei Wei to South Block and stressed the need for resolving the issue, sources said. The Chinese side said they will look into the issue and respond accordingly. However, when contacted the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi reiterated the comments made by their Foreign Ministry spokesperson in Beijing yesterday. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said yesterday that "China`s frontier troops have been abiding by the agreement between the two countries and abiding by the LAC agreed by the two countries. "Our frontier troops have been patrolling on the China`s side of LAC," Hua had said, adding, "Our troops are patrolling on the Chinese side of the LAC and have never trespassed the line". Chinese Embassy officials maintained that China is ready to work with the Indian side to further the coordination and cooperation on the issues of boundary. Defence Minister A K Antony had said yesterday that India will take "every step" to protect its interests to resolve the situation arising out of the incursion. (With PTI inputs)