India-China Border Standoff LIVE: Rajnath Singh Meets NSA, CDS and 3 Chiefs of Staff

UPDATE | Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defense Staff Bipin Rawat and Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force. The meeeting is underway amid the standoff with China and a fresh escalation in Eastern Ladakh on Monday.

Debate on China Standoff 'Unlikely' on Monday | As the Monsoon Session of Parliament begins on Monday, top sources in the government said a discussion on the India-China face-off is unlikely to be allowed soon. The Opposition parties would want to corner the government on key issues like management of the coronavirus pandemic, falling GDP numbers and the state of economy as well as the border stand-off with China. But the debate on China standoff is likely to be placed next week.

Air Defence System in Uttarakhand to Have Strategic Advantage | Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar met Uttarakhand CM to seek land for setting up facilities that will help the IAF carry out its activities in the border areas. The Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief also discussed the availability of land for installing air defence radars and advance landing ground in the hilly areas of the state due to their strategic significance. Setting up facilities like air defence radars and an advance landing ground in Uttarakhand’s hilly districts of Chamoli, Pitgoragarh and Uttarkashi will be of great help to the air force.

Amid the ongoing standoff with China along the LAC, Central Air Command chief, Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat to seek land for setting up facilities that…

US Sign Defence Cooperation Deal with Maldives to Counter China | The US has signed a framework for defence cooperation with the Maldives to deepen engagement in support of maintaining peace and security in the strategic Indian Ocean, the Pentagon has announced. The move comes as the Trump administration is looking to strengthen alliances in the Indo-Pacific to counter China's growing presence in the region.

UPDATE | Indian Army took over all five individuals at Kibitu after completing all the formalities. Individuals will now be quarantined for 14 days as per Covid-19 protocol and thereafter be handed over to their family members: Defence PRO Lt Col Harsh Wardhan Pande said in a statement.

Despite '5-Point Agreement', India and China Seem Headed Towards a Limited Conflict | Not quite Panchsheel. But after four months of a tense and bloody border standoff, India and China have officially reached a five-point agreement to attempt de-escalation. That seems like a significant step forward. Yet, none of this is new. Clearly, there's not been any breakthrough, and neither was anyone expecting one READ MORE

Chinese Army Has Returned 5 Arunachal Civilians Who Went Missing, Say Sources | Five men, who went missing from villages near the border with China earlier this month, have been handed over to India by China's People's Liberation Army or PLA , sources said. 

India and China Made a Useful Decision on De-escalation at Border, Says Russia | India and China have made a useful decision on de-escalating tensions on their disputed Himalayan border, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday, speaking alongside his Chinese counterpart. Earlier, China and India said they had agreed to de-escalate renewed tensions and take steps to restore "peace and tranquillity" following a high-level diplomatic meeting in Moscow.

The border skirmishes, resulting out of Chinese aggression, if not addressed quickly can drag India-China relationship back by 58 years.

Five Indian Civilians Who Went Missing are “Intelligence Personnel”: Chinese Media | China’s state-owned Global Times claims the five civilians who went missing from Arunachal Pradesh are “intelligence personnel”. The five youth were to be handed back to India by the Chinese army today. “Five Indians allegedly kidnapped by China are actually intelligence staff attempting to pry intelligence of China,” the Global Times claimed quoting sources.

WATCH | Can India-China Tensions Escalate Into A War?

Pawar said there are other defence-related issues on the table for discussion, but he will make a request that a presentation is made on it.

Amid ‘Total Breakdown of Trust‘, India, China Gens to Meet Soon | India and China will hold their sixth round of top-level military talks within the next few days in a bid to defuse the tinderbox-like operational situation in eastern Ladakh, which has seen casualties and shots being fired for the first time in 45 years. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) may not have made any aggressive moves for the last couple of days but there is “a complete breakdown of trust” between the two armies, with thousands of rival soldiers, tanks amassed within shooting distance of each other in the Pangong Tso-Chushul area in eastern Ladakh.

India, China Continue to Hold Positions in Ladakh | Status quo at LAC for third night running as both sides continue to hold position at heights above 15000 feet but no escalation, said sources. Meanwhile, a visible reduction was noticed in number of air sorties over Ladakh. Assessment on the ground is till the proposed talks on 17th situation would be status quo. 

India confronted China over allegations that it was wronged and said the provocative behaviour of Chinese frontline troops at numerous incidents of friction along the LAC showed disregard for…

China Should Peacefully Work with Its Neighbours: US Lawmaker |  Expressing concern over the situation prevailing along the India-China border, a top US lawmaker said that Beijing should work with its neighbours to peacefully resolve disputes and respect international law. "I'm concerned by increasing hostilities along the India-China border and urge both countries to use its longstanding diplomatic mechanisms to de-escalate the situation," Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera said.

RECAP | The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on September 1 said the Chinese army "engaged in provocative action" on August 31 even as commanders from both sides were engaged in discussions to de-escalate the situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh on the southern bank of Pangong Lake. China’s attempt to unilaterally change the status quo on the Pangong lake was the first major incident in the area after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. 

"On August 31, even as ground commanders of two sides were in discussions to de-escalate the situation, Chinese troops again engaged in provocative action. Due to timely defensive action, Indian side was able to prevent these attempts to unilaterally alter status quo," MEA Spokesperson said. READ MORE. 

No Change in China Stand on Ladakh After Moscow Meet, Say Govt Sources | Despite China agreeing to de-escalate renewed tensions along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh following a high-level diplomatic meeting in Moscow, India’s understanding remains that the ground situation will remain the same for now. Senior government sources said that reading between the lines suggests that there is no change in Beijing’s stated position after the over two-and-half-hour-long meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.  READ MORE 

Russia Welcomes India and China's Decision to De-escalate Tensions | Russia on Friday welcomed India and China's decison to de-escalate tensions in eastern Ladakh, with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov saying he was very happy that he could provide his Indian and Chinese counterparts a platform for a very well timed. 

Officials said that top leadership has been apprised of the situation after seeing the response from China, and India remains firm that it wants a diplomatic solution of the problem.

India won't De-escalate Until There is Complete Disengagement, Says Jaishankar | Foreign minister S Jaishankar told Wang Yi, India would not de-escalate until there is a complete and verifiable disengagement at all points on the LAC, reports TOI. 

"Armed Forces Ready For Anything", Says General Rawat | India's armed forces are ready for any eventuality, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat told the Parliament's Standing Committee on Defence, even as tensions between India and China remain high following "provocative behaviour of Chinese frontline troops" along the LAC - Line of Actual Control, which serves as the de factor border between the two countries. The meeting was attended by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who has been a vocal critic of the government over its handling of the China border row.

WATCH | India-China Reach 5 Point Consensus On LAC Standoff But Take Contrasting Views On Bilateral Ties

Will Request Centre for Presentation on Situation on India-China Border, Says Sharad Pawar | NCP president Sharad Pawar said there should be a presentation by the government on what is happening on the India-China border, particularly in Ladakh, where the armies of the two countries are involved in a face-off. "There are different defence-related issues that will be discussed in the meeting. I am going to make a request that a presentation on the ground situation should be made," Pawar, who served as the defence minister in the PV Narasimha Rao government, said.

Civilians Who Went Missing from Arunachal Pradesh to Be Handed over by China Today | China will hand over the five 'missing' Indian nationals at Wacha near Kibithu border personnel meeting point, said Army sources. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju added that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) would hand over the youths who had gone missing from Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday. 

The Chinese PLA has confirmed to Indian Army to hand over the youths from Arunachal Pradesh to our side. The handing over is likely to take place anytime tomorrow i.e. 12th September 2020 at a designated location. https://t.co/UaM9IIZl56

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 11, 2020