India will take up helicopter incursion with China

New Delhi: India will take up with China the intrusion of two Chinese helicopters into Indian air space, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday.

"We will definitely take up the issue," Sushma Swaraj said in response to a question here. "I cannot say the way it will be taken up but we will take it up 101 per cent."

Two helicopters of the People's Liberation Army were spotted hovering over Badahoti area of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand on Saturday morning. Uttarakhand borders China.

The Indian Air Force has launched a probe.

Beijing on Monday defended the violation saying it can carry out patrols in disputed territory.

Sushma Swaraj said when it came to disputed territory, both sides settle such matters through discussions.

She said that since the land boundary was yet to be settled, there were times when one side or the other claimed that the territory under dispute was theirs. "But this is the first time the issue of air space violation has come up."