Armies of India and China continue to communicate with each other even as Chinese troops are in a face-off position with Indian troops near the Rezang La heights: Indian Army sources.

Cabinet Committee on Security (CSS) likely to meet ahead of Union Cabinet meeting today at 6 pm. India-China face-off to be on the agenda. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being given a detailed briefing on developments at LAC.

Defense Ministry rejected the PLA’s allegation

Indian Response

• India, while is committed to disengagement and de-escalating the situation on the LAC, China continues to undertake provocative activities to escalate.
• At no stage has the Indian Army transgressed across the LAC or resorted to use of any aggressive means, including firing.
• In the instant case on Sept, 7^th, 2020, it was the PLA troops who were attempting to close-in with one of our forward positions along the LAC and when dissuaded by own troops, PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate own troops.
• However, despite the grave provocation, own troops exercised great restraint and behaved in a mature and responsible manner.
• The Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquility, however is also determined to protect national integrity and sovereignty at all costs.
• The statement by the Western Theatre Command is an attempt to mislead their domestic and international audience.

What PLA Claimed (around 10 PM IST)

• The PLA Western Theater Command spokesperson said “Indian troops had provoked China again by illegally crossing the LAC at the “shore of the Shenpao Mountain area”. “These were serious military provocations and were of “very bad nature”.
• The operation, the Indian army blatantly fired shots at the patrol personnel of the Chinese border guards who had made representations, and the Chinese border guards were forced to take countermeasures to stabilize the situation on the ground,” he said.

The allegations are significant as no shot has been fired at LAC for several decades, not even in the June 15 Galwan clash that left 20 Indian and an unspecified number of Chinese soldiers dead.

The Moscow meeting will also be the first time the foreign minister will be stepping out of the country since the pandemic. He will also visit Iran and will meet his counterpart of Iran, Javad Zarif, though MEA said “its technical halt to refueling”.

On Mon, Jaishankar described the situation on the LAC as “very serious“, and that “deep conversations at the political level” were (?) needed.

Global Times (Chinese State Media), Twitted around closed to midnight (IST), “The Indian army again illegally crossed the Line of Actual Control in Shenpao mountain near the south bank of Pangong Tso Lake on Mon, PLA WT Command spokesperson revealed.”

“Chinese border defense troops were forced to take countermeasures to stabilize the situation after the Indian troops outrageously fired warning shots to PLA border patrol soldiers who were about to negotiate, said the spokesperson.”

MEA commented on Chines media “We have seen reports in Chinese state media, including in China Daily and Huanqiu Shibao (Global Times), which had attributed some comments to NSA Shri Ajit Doval. These reports are completely false and are not based in facts.”

Condition as of now: India maintains dominance over heights captured in Aug

As per media reports, firing occurred at LAC in Eastern Ladakh. Some 40 PLA soldiers on Mon, tried to capture Rezang la heights, which is in presently under Indian possession, which is foiled by Indian troops. Sources have ruled out casualties but details not out.

Fuming at the proactive military maneuver undertaken by India, the PLA has made at least a couple of aggressive moves in the area that were blocked by Indian troops.

Mukhpari is the highest feature among the multiple heights occupied by Indian troops on Aug 29-30, with the ridgeline stretching from the southern bank of Pangong Tso at Thakung to Gurung Hill, Spanggur Gap, Magar Hill, Mukhpari, Rezang La and Reqin La.