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Fresh brawl between Indian and Chinese soldiers along Sikkim borders; injuries reported

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long LAC

China India Rivalry Representational image

Amid ongoing tension in Ladakh side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), military friction between India and China spilled over to Naku La Pass in Sikkim border where the two armies reportedly engaged in a physical brawl, news agencies AFP and ANI reported. Soldiers from both sides have been reported injured in the face-off. "We have received several queries regarding a face-off between Indian Army and PLA troops in Sikkim sector. It is clarified that there was a minor face-off at Naku La area of North Sikkim on 20 January and the same was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols," according to an Army statement.

In May 2020, at the height of the Ladakh border crisis, soldiers from the two sides had engaged in fisticuffs in the same region. This was the second incident that year after the clash at Pangong Lake in Ladakh. A total of 150 soldiers were involved in the face-off then; temporary and short duration face-offs occur due to differing perception of the border by both sides. Interestingly, Naku La does not figure in the disputed and sensitive areas that witness frequent transgressions and face-offs between both troops.

The clash comes amid the ninth round of military talks between India and China that lasted for nearly 16 hours on Sunday, as the two sides held detailed deliberations on disengagement of troops from all friction points in eastern Ladakh. 

The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long LAC, the de-facto border between the two countries. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it. Both sides have been asserting that pending the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

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