Indian, Chinese soldiers skirmish at Ladakh border, shows video

A short video went viral in social media on Thursday apparently with footage of Indian and Chinese soldiers pelting stones at each other and engaging in fisticuffs near Pang Gong Tso lake in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir.

The video apparently shows Chinese and Indian soldiers pelting stones at each other on the shore of the Pang Gong Tso lake. Neither the Government of India in New Delhi nor the Government of China in Beijing so far confirmed the authenticity of the video. Some of the soldiers are also seen engaging in fisticuffs.

It surfaced in social media even as Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat is set to review the security scenario along the Line of Actual Control – the de-facto border between India and China – in Ladakh on Sunday. President Ram Nath Kovind will also visit Ladakh later this month.

The video went viral on social media a day after New Delhi for the first time officially confirmed that “an incident” had taken place on the shore of Pang Gong Tso Lake on August 15. Raveesh Kumar, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, confirmed the incident while briefing journalists in New Delhi on Friday.

He did not elaborate on the nature or extent of the “incident”, but media reports earlier suggested that the soldiers of Indian Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police on Tuesday foiled an attempt by Chinese People's Liberation Army personnel to transgress into the territory of India near Pang Gong Tso lake.

 “We feel that such incidents are not in the interests of either side. We should maintain peace and tranquillity,” said Kumar. He also said that the incident near Pang Gong Tso lake was subsequently discussed by the commanders of Indian Army and Chinese PLA during a flag meeting at Chushul. 

The LAC passes through the Pang Gong lake, although China and India have differences on the alignment of the imaginary line. India accuses China of illegally occupying a section of the lake, which has Tibet on its eastern end. The lake witnessed the conflict between soldiers of India and China during the 1962 war. It still remains a sensitive point on the disputed boundary between the two nations.

The Chinese PLA personnel on boats often cross the LAC and intrude into territory claimed by India. The August 15 incident on the shore of Pang Gong Tso lake took place amid the continuing face-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan.