PANGONG TSO, 8 September 2020, TON: As engagement at military, diplomatic and political levels is in progress well and all roads to peace are being explored, the Indian military authorities have accordingly rejected Chinese claim that they resorted to any aggressive means including firing warning shots. Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday night alleged that Indian troops “outrageously fired” warning shots near the Pangong TSO lake in eastern Ladakh and immediately returned back their guns to actual positions. Tension escalated after conflicting reports that the soldiers of the two nations exchanged fire on the south bank of Pangong Tso (lake) on Monday night. However, Indian military leadership said that India is committed to disengagement & de-escalating situation on the LAC.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was quoted to have claimed that its soldiers had been forced to by Indian side to take countermeasures in response to the “warning shots” fired by the Indian Army personnel at them on the south bank of the Pangong Tso. There were no causalities on either Indian Army or the Chinese PLA side.

Media reports quoting Colonel Zhang Suili, a spokesperson of the said, “Indian Army had “again illegally crossed the Line of Actual Control on the south bank of Pangong TSO on Monday and had outrageously fired warning shots  on the PLA border patrol position”. However, New Delhi denies the same and claims that India and China are on road towards peace. 

It we recall, on June 15, as many as 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent clash in the Galwan Valley. Ever since, due to political statements there is environment of suspicions between the two neighbouring nations.