China's provocative behaviour, amassing of troops disturbed peace along LAC in Eastern Ladakh: India

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Beijing continues to deploy a large number of troops and armaments in the border areas and, in response, Indian armed forces had to make "appropriate counter deployments"

New Delhi: China's provocative behaviour, amassing of troops and its unilateral attempts to alter the status quo resulted in serious disturbance of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh, said India on Thursday while rejecting Beijing's allegation that New Delhi has long pursued the "forward policy" along the LAC.

MEA's spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that Beijing continues to deploy a large number of troops and armaments in the border areas and, in response, Indian armed forces had to make "appropriate counter deployments". Bagchi remarks come in response to Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying's claims that the Indian side has long pursued the "forward policy" and illegally crossed the LAC to encroach on China's territory, which is the root cause of tension in the China-India border situation.

Hua made the statement during a daily briefing on September 29. Rejecting the statement by the Chinese side, Bagchi said: "It was the amassing of a large number of troops by the Chinese side, their provocative behaviour and unilateral attempts to alter status quo in contravention of all our bilateral agreements that resulted in serious disturbance of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh."

"China continues to deploy large number of troops and armaments in the border areas. It was in response to Chinese actions, that our armed forces had to make appropriate counter deployments in these areas to ensure that India's security interests are fully protected," he added.

India and China have been engaged in a military standoff for almost a year but disengaged from the most contentious Pangong lake area last month after extensive talks at both military and political levels. Tensions at the India-China border in eastern Ladakh continues to exist even a year after the Galwan clash in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.

Bagchi pointed out External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's remarks during his meeting with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi early this month and said it is India's "expectation that the Chinese side will work towards early resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols". The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

(ANI)