IAF Fighter Jets Fly Sorties After Chinese Choppers Spotted Near Ladakh LAC
Chinese military choppers were spotted near the Line of Actual Control ( LAC) at Ladakh following which the Indian Air Force scrambled its fighter jets to fly sorties, media networks reported on Tuesday morning. The incident is reported to have taken place last week. Earlier, Chinese choppers were also spotted near Sikkim, sparking a similar response from the IAF. This marks the first time that India pressed into service its fighter jets to push back and attempt by the Chinese to enter Indian territory. However, the Chinese military helicopters did not violate Indian airspace, media networks reported quoting government sources.
Over the last few days there have been two incidents of scuffles between Indian and Chinese soldiers on the ground near the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Media reports stated that Chinese soldiers transgressed into Indian territory forcing Indian ground troops to push them back resulting in scuffles.
The first incident took place along the Northern bank of the Pangong lake in Eastern Ladakh on Tuesday last. Following intervention at a higher level, the face-off between the troops of both sides ended.
About 200 personnel were involved in this confrontation and a number of soldiers on both sides sustained injuries as they indulged in scuffles and also resorted to pelting stones. Both India and China deployed additional troops in the area after this face-off.
In another confrontation, close to 150 Indian and Chinese soldiers were engaged in a face-off near Naku La pass in the Sikkim sector of India's border with China. About 10 soldiers were injured in this incident.
A similar incident took place in 2017 when military personnel from both sides hurled stones at each other near the Pangong Lake in Ladakh sector.
India's most serious face-off with China in recent years was the Doklam stand-off which began in June 2017 and lasted nearly two and a half months. Both sides stood their ground firmly and the dispute was later resolved at the highest diplomatic and political levels, bringing the stand-off to an end towards the end of August 2017.