Chinese and Indian soldiers brawl at the border

Indian sources confirmed a scuffle between Chinese and Indian soldiers in the border area near the Himalayas.

Chinese and Indian soldiers face to face in Doklam. Photo: SCMP.

According to sources in New Delhi, the clash took place on August 15 in the western Himalayas, when Indian soldiers tried to stop a group of Chinese soldiers carrying iron rods and stones from entering the Ladakh region, near India's Pangong Lake. The scuffle left both sides with minor injuries, Reuters reported today.

The Chinese and Indian defense ministries have yet to comment on the incident.

Meanwhile, a police officer in Srinagar, the capital of India’s Jammu and Kashmir state, confirmed that there was a scuffle near Pangong Lake. An army source in Srinagar also confirmed that the scuffle occurred when Chinese soldiers “intruded” into the Pangong Lake area.

Location of Doklam plateau. Graphics: BBC.

Tensions between China and India flared up in mid-June when the Chinese military sent engineering forces and machinery into the disputed area of ​​Doklam between Bhutan and China to build transport projects. After failing to protest, Bhutan asked India to send troops to Doklam to prevent Chinese moves.

After India deployed several hundred troops there, Beijing said New Delhi must unconditionally withdraw its troops and immediately leave Doklam to resolve the standoff. Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said last month that both sides must withdraw their troops as a condition for any talks.

Border dispute between India and China. Graphics: Viet Chung.

According to VNE