A Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldier was apprehended on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh on January 8, news reports suggest.
The PLA soldier had transgressed across the LAC in the area south of the Pangong Tso. According to reports, the Indian Army had informed the Chinese side about their soldier being taken into custody.
The soldier is reportedly being dealt with as per laid down procedures. Circumstances under which he crossed the LAC are being investigated further, NDTV reported citing officials.
Both sides have deployed thousands of troops along the LAC since May when border tensions started simmering between the two neighbours – especially along three friction points in the eastern Ladakh region. The LAC is the de-facto border between the two countries in the region. In June 2020, Indian soldiers were killed in the Galwan Valley as the stand-off escalated into a violent face-off. While there were fatalities on the Chinese side too, the number was not revealed by Beijing.
Both sides are known to have stationed heavy artillery and deployed fighter aircraft in close proximity to the LAC as a precautionary measure even as they work towards disengagement.
On January 8, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that India and China have maintained communication at the ground level to avoid any "misunderstandings and misjudgements".
Asked about the status of talks with China over the border row, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said the latest round of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) was held on December 18 and the two sides have agreed to hold the next round of senior commanders meeting.