India-China tension: China continues to be belligerent! Here’s what happened at Naku La, Sikkim

Earlier this month, the Indian Army soldiers successfully thwarted Chinese patrol party’s attempt to intrude inside Indian Territory. And in the ensuing brawl as many as 20 of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers were injured and few Indians also received injuries. The incident had taken place on January 20, 2021.

Statement by the Indian Army

Responding to media queries related to the face-off between the Indian Army and Chinese soldiers on January 20, 2021, in Sikkim Sector, the Indian army issued a statement on Monday (January 25, 2021) stating, “There was a minor face-off at Nakula area of North Sikkim on January 20. And the same was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols.”

Previous clashes at Naku La

Last May this was one of the original face-off sites between the troops of both the countries, in which almost 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were involved near Nakula Pass in the Sikkim sector. And as reported earlier there around 10 soldiers from both sides who have sustained injuries. Also, there had been skirmishes in Pangong Tso, Galwan, Gogra, Hot Springs.

After the incident last summer in May, the troops had disengaged after dialogue at the local level.

The new face-off at Nakula comes at a time as the two sides are already engaged in a border standoff in eastern Ladakh.

Meanwhile…

The two sides held a 17 hour long ninth round of talks on Sunday, January 24, 2021. The talks remained inconclusive.

Why?

Because India has urged China for ‘complete disengagement and de-escalation’ at all the face-off sites in eastern Ladakh. The situation remains tense, as from last May-June the PLA has occupied an 8-km stretch from ‘Finger 4 to 8’ on the north bank of Pangong Tso.

As reported earlier, the situation in the eastern Ladakh region had deteriorated when around 250 troops of both sides on May 5, 2020, were engaged in a violent face-off. And then in another major incident in the month of June 20 Indian soldiers and an unspecified number of PLA men died in the violence.