Indian Army soldiers pushed back troops from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) three days ago near Nathu La in the Sikkim sector, India Today reported. Soldiers from both sides sustained injuries during the violence.
The Indian side pushed back the Chinese troops when the latter's patrol party attempted to cross the border. About 20 soldiers were reportedly injured. The report also added that no arms were used during the clash.
The Indian Army is yet to issue a formal statement about the incident.
It is to be noted that this latest clash happened in the Sikkim sector where the border line is not disputed.
The incident comes at a time when both sides have deployed thousands of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since May 2020 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, 20 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.
In fact, India and China will hold the ninth round of corps commander-level military talks on January 25 in Moldo to address the standoff in eastern Ladakh.
(This is a developing story. Please check back for more details)