India-China Clash LIVE: US supports India's efforts, 'closely monitoring situation at LAC'

Congress MP Manish Tewari gives another Adjournment motion in Lok Sabha demanding a discussion on the Border situation after the Tawang face-off.

The US Department of Defense will continue to watch developments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at the India-China border, said Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder while addressing a press conference. "We have seen the People's Republic of China (PRC) continues to amass forces and build military infrastructure along the so-called LAC. It is important to point out the growing trend by the PRC to assert itself & be proactive in areas directed toward the US allies and our partners in Indo-Pacific. We will continue to remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure the security of our partners. We fully support India's efforts to control the situation".

According to the Indian Navy sources, the Chinese scientific research vessel Yang Wang-5 which had entered Indian Ocean Region (IOR) a few days back has now moved out of the area. The vessel was being constantly monitored by Indian Navy assets including long-range surveillance drones and maritime patrol aircraft.

India's relations with China will always remain "somewhat tense" since Beijing considers India a challenger to its status, former Chief of the Army Staff General Shankar Roy Chowdhury has said while noting that incursions at the LAC could be a result of "conspiracy" between China and Pakistan.

A face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday led to minor injuries to personnel from both sides. The Indian troops deployed in the area of face-off on Friday in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector gave a befitting response to the Chinese troops and the number of Chinese soldiers injured in the clash is more than the Indian soldiers.

(Image: ANI)

India left China stunned during the LAC face-off that took place on December 9 in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, sources have revealed. Republic Media Network has accessed the exclusive details of the clash. According to sources, Indian troops' deployment of reinforcements within 30 minutes of the attack left the PLA stunned and forced them to retreat. 

 According to sources, the clash broke out between 2:45 to 3:15 am on December 9 and the Indian side managed to deploy reinforcement swiftly by 3:30 am. The Chinese troops tried to take advantage of the dense forest, heavy snowfall, and darkness of night during the change of Indian units deployed within the area. They were carrying taser guns along with wooden clubs, spikes, and monkey fists, sources reveal. 

Meanwhile, the Indian troops didn't have any taser guns but were carrying other types of equipment that were more than the reinforcements of the PLA, and hence, they managed to push them back out of the Indian territory. Notably, a similar attempt was made by China in the same area in 2016 when more than 200+ PLA soldiers tried to advance but were pushed back by the Indian Army without any physical clashes.

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) clashed with three units of the Indian Army belonging to different infantry regiments. Citing sources on the ground, ANI reported that the three battalions were Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, the Jat regiment and the Sikh Light Infantry who thwated the Chinese soldiers' attempt to change status quo along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang.

It has been revealed that the Chinese were armed with clubs and sticks but found the Indian troops who were also well prepared knowing the intentions of the PLA. Sources also say that the Chinese came with drones to shoot the confrontation as they were confident about overpowering the Indian side.

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, in the debate with Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami said, "political games over these (issues) are detrimental to the country", Watch below. 

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said Arunachal Pradesh has been an integral part of India since ancient times.

His remarks came a day after the Indian Army said troops from India and China clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector and the face-off led to "minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides".

Rijiju, however, refused to comment on the Tawang incident at the press meet.

Addressing the media here on the issue of cultural revival in the country and the efforts being put in this regard by the government, the Lok Sabha member from Arunachal Pradesh said, "Today, if someone says anything on Arunachal Pradesh, it becomes clear that from ancient times, it is connected with India. Therefore, it is not that now it is part of India, though the present name has been given now, it has been an integral part of India since ancient times." This has been so beautifully presented by the prime minister, he said per PTI.

Explaining the cultural linkages between different regions, he later wrote on Twitter that according to legend, Rukmini from Arunachal Pradesh was 'heroically kidnapped' by Lord Krishna to prevent her from being forced into an unwanted marriage. They travelled to Madhavpur Ghed and married.

"Today, Gujarat -- where the sun sets -- and Arunachal Pradesh -- where the sun rises -- celebrate this common ancient heritage together," he said.

India has seen an "unprecedented" cultural revival in the last eight years and has emerged as the number one soft power, Rijiju said.

He also said that while people see hard power aspects such as development of infrastructure, science and defence, they tend to forget the cultural revival the country has witnessed due to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It is time people take note of the cultural revival too which has been "unprecedented" in the last eight years after the BJP came to power, he told reporters here.

The government has been making efforts to culturally connect various states and regions and the Kashi Tamil Sangamam event is a good example, Rijiju said.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam event is a programme to celebrate, reaffirm and rediscover the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Varanasi.

The Union minister said now India has emerged as the number one soft power as the world acknowledges New Delhi's importance. The respect Indians command in foreign lands now is an acknowledgment of its soft power status, he said.

Buddhist tourist circuits and cultural experiences with matching infrastructure be it Kushinagar or Bodhgaya has been attracting devotees from across the globe. It has also been a key element of Prime Minister Modi's 'Act East' policy from Mongolia to Nepal, he said.

BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday said the clash between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh is worrying and called on the government to resolve issues with the neighbouring country through diplomacy.

She also praised the Indian Army for giving a befitting reply to China during the clash that took place near Yangtse on December 9.

The face-off resulted in "minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides". Both sides immediately disengaged from the area, according to the Indian Army.

"The news of the bloody clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector and several troops being injured in it is extremely sad and worrying. In a world that is already suffering and scared due to the consequences of the Ukraine war, it is necessary to control the new conflict between the armies of India and China through diplomacy," Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.

"In the latest incident with China, the Indian Army has lived up to its reputation by giving a befitting reply, which is praiseworthy. Now, it is the government's responsibility to show its diplomatic prowess. This is what the country expects. Our intelligence also has to be strengthened," she said in another tweet.

After the face-off between the Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), Republic spoke to the locals in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector where the clash took place. 

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is scheduled to carry out consolidated training exercise this week in order to check readiness in the Eastern sector after violent clash with China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector.

"We are proud of Indian Army. We have our forces doing their jobs. Arunachal Pradesh people are deshbhakts. Let us be firm instead of taking to politics", Congress MLA Ninong Ering said. 

Republic accessed key satellite images near Tulung La in Arunachal Pradesh where increased deployment was seen.

Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu reacted to the discussion that took place in the Parliament on Tuesday over the India-China clash along the LAC in Tawang. 

"Yangtse is under my assembly constituency & every year I meet the Jawans & villagers of the area. It’s not 1962 anymore. If anyone tries to transgress, our brave soldiers will give a befitting reply", CM Khandu tweeted.

After the failed attempt of encroachment in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang, China has now claimed that Indian soldiers cross the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along the state. In the super exclusive satellite images accessed by Republic, increased deployment with roads and helipads were seen near Tawang. 

In a tweet posted by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he said that the Central government under PM Narendra Modi will not allow anyone to 'take even an inch of our land'. 

"India's permanent membership in the Security Council was sacrificed because of Nehru ji. In 1962, China grabbed thousands of hectares of India's land. In 2006, the Chinese Embassy in India claimed entire Arunachal Pradesh and NEFA (sic)", he tweeted, enlisting the failures of previous governments. 

In another tweet, he also questioned the Congress about Rs 1 crore 35 lakh received as donation by the Rajiv Gandhi foundation from the Chinese Embassy during the year 2005-07.

China on Tuesday said the situation was "generally stable" along its border with India, days after the troops of the two countries clashed in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, resulting in minor injuries to some soldiers on both sides.

At a media briefing here, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin also said the two sides have maintained smooth communication on border-related issues through diplomatic and military channels.

Wang, however, declined to provide details of the December 9 clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers at the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector.

Earlier in the day, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a statement in Parliament in New Delhi on the incident in the Tawang sector.

 Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Tuesday refused permission to opposition MPs to seek clarification on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's statement on the clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Arunchal Pradesh, saying clarifications are not allowed on sensitive issues.

Opposition parties led by the Congress, which stalled proceedings in the first hour of the session and thereafter raised slogans demanding a discussion on the border clashes, wanted to seek a number of clarifications after Singh made a statement in both houses of Parliament.

Harivansh, however cited four precedents to say queries cannot be allowed on sensitive issues.

Opposition members, however, were not satisfied and continued to raise the issue for sometime, before the Congress led them to stage a walkout of the House. The deputy chairman said the House will appreciate the valour and bravery of the Indian armed forces and their commitment to protect territorial integrity of the country.

The Indian Air Force is closely monitoring the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh following an attempt by the Chinese PLA troops last week to unilaterally change the status quo in the Tawang sector in the border state, people familiar with the development said on Tuesday.

They said the IAF has also stepped up its overall surveillance in the areas in view of the Chinese attempt of transgression on December 9, adding it follows standard operation procedures that included scrambling of fighter jets in case of specific security concerns.

"The situation is being monitored closely by both the IAF and the Army," said one of the people cited above. The people indicated that the IAF has increased the frequency of the sorties by its combat jets in the region.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami responded on the Tawang face off, "There are some people (Opposition) who are now habituated as they keep raising questions on the capabilities and valour of the Indian Army. For them, their politics is the top priority and it comes before the nation".

The Dogra Front staged a massive protest in Jammu over the India-China faceoff that took place in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector on December 9. The protesters raised slogans in support of the Indian Army and burned the posters of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Republic TV reports exclusively from Leh amid the India-China face-off in Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh near Line of Actual Control (LAC) 

BJP National General Secretary CT Ravi on Tuesday responded on the India-Chianclash at Tawang sector. He said, "This is not 1962 India. Today's India is very different and we have the capabilities to fight back. These days political leaders have the gut to answer back. Our armed forces have always shown strength and given a befitting reply".

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday addressed the Parliament on the Tawang clash. He said, "On December 9 in the Yangtse area of the Tawang sector PLA troops encroached upon and attempted to change the status quo but the Indian army gave a befitting reply. This attempt was tackled by our troops in a determined manner. Our troops bravely stopped PLA from encroaching upon our territory and forced them to go back to their post. There was hand to hand brawl. No casualty or major injury was reported on our side. We salute the valour of our forces. I assure, we will not allow China to succeed".

Union Home Minister Amit Shah condemned the Opposition's attempt to stall Question hour during the Parliament session. He said, "Today in Lok Sabha Opposition did not allow Question Hour to run. I condemn this act. Parliamentary Affairs Minister clearly said that the Defence Minister will make a statement on this (Tawang faceoff) in the Parliament".

Home Minister Shah further said, "I saw the question hour list and after seeing question number 5, I understood the anxiety (of Congress). The question was regarding the cancellation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF). If they would have allowed I would have given an answer in Parliament that Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received a grant of Rs 1.35 crores from the Chinese Embassy during 2005-2007, which was not appropriate as per FCRA. So as per the rules, Home Ministry cancelled its registration".

Union Minister Piyush Goyal in Rajya Sabha addressed Parliament on the Tawang faceoff. "Looking at the gravity of the situation and the request made by the Opposition, I urge the Chair to allow the Defence Minister to make a statement at 12.30 pm instead of 2 pm".

Before the recent clash between India and China in the Yangtse area near Tawang, Chinese drones had moved very aggressively towards the Indian positions on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh forcing the Indian Air Force to scramble its fighter aircrafts deployed in the region.

The Chinese military has been behaving aggressively over issues in the Yangtse in the vicinity of the Holydip and Parikrama area on the LAC where the Chinese side has been opposing Indian positions. "In the last few weeks, there have been two to three occasions where our fighter jets had to be scrambled to tackle the Chinese drones moving towards our positions on the LAC. The Su-30MKI jets had to be scrambled to tackle the air violation threat," defence sources told ANI.

The Indian Air Force keeps a close watch on Chinese drone activities along the LAC in the northeast. The actions have to be taken as the drones or any aircraft can not be allowed to violate the airspace, they said. The sources said if the drones fly parallel to the LAC, the Indian side does not have any issues with it but if the aircrafts or drones are picked up by radars flying towards Indian territory, necessary actions have to be taken to prevent any violation, they said.

The Indian Air Force has a strong presence in the northeast with squadrons of Su-30 fighter jets deployed at multiple locations including Tezpur and Chhabua in Assam. The Rafale combat jets have also been deployed very close at Hashimara in West Bengal. The Indian Air Force has also strengthened its air defence coverage in the area with the operationalisation of the S-400 air defence system in the Assam sector only. The system can take care of any aerial threat over almost the entire area.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in Rajya Sabha on the latest India-China face-off.  

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrives at Parliament to address Lok Sabha as he will make a statement today on the India-China face-off. Earlier, the National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Army Chief General Manoj Pande briefed the Raksha Mantri over the situation at the Tawang sector.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary, the leader of Congress in Lok Sabha spoke on the India-China face-off in Tawang as he said, "Govt should make a statement on this. It has been going on. China has encroached upon our land. From Ladakh & Uttarakhand, they reached Arunachal. We have the right to know the preparation to tackle China's conspiracy" 

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questioned the strength of the Indian Army. Taking to Twitter, Owaisi said, "This was exactly what China did in Doklam in 2017 and Ladakh in April 2020. Why did we not increase our strength in Arunachal Pradesh, I am told we were 'hoping' this was temporary and the Chinese would go back to their original strength! China had raised the strength of it's troops across Arunachal Pradesh by 75℅ in August of 2022, just before the Communist Party Congress, which eventually re-elected Xi Jinping for another 5 years".

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati took to Twitter and expressed concern over the India-China clash at the Arunachal Pradesh border. She hailed the Indian Army's befitting reply to the Chinese troops.

 In a series of tweets, she said, "The news of the bloody clash between Indian and Chinese army in Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh and the news of many soldiers getting injured in it is very sad and worrying. In the world suffering from the consequences of the Ukraine war, it is necessary to overcome the new conflict between the India-China army in a diplomatic way immediately" 

"Even in the latest case with China, the Indian Army has once again acted according to its reputation by giving a befitting reply, which is commendable. Now it is the responsibility of the government to show its diplomatic skills, this is the hope of the country. You also have to make your intelligence stronger," she added.

Republic TV exclusively speaks to Tawang residents about the India-China faceoff. He said, "This is China's habit to disturb peace and tranquility but we are confident that the Indian Army will protect us. I don't think China will be able to enter the Indian territory or acquire a single inch of the Indian side. We stand firmly with the Indian Army and if needed we will also join them to fight against the Chinese. More casualties happened on the Chinese side".

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Army Chief General Manoj Pande arrived at Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh's residence in Delhi and briefed him on the current situation of the Tawang face-off ahead of his Parliament address.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will today address the Parliament in connection with the clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh that took place on December 9.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju addressed the media over the Tawang faceoff, "Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. People tend to forget India's history. India displays strength and soft power. PM Modi's strong leadership is being witnessed globally. United we stand, divided we fall".

Congress politicises Tawang face-off as grand old party's MPs to move a motion in Parliament in connection with the Indian and Chinese troops clash

Amid the Tawang face-off, Chinese PLA who entered LAC were armed with spiked clubs and sticks. The injuries on the Chinese side could be higher as Indian troops were well prepared and gave a befitting response, as per sources. 

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi took to Twitter and informed that he has submitted a notice for adjournment motion in Lok Sabha in connection with the Arunachal Pradesh clash between Indian and Chinese troops.

As per sources, the Indian troops in the area of face-off in Tawang gave a befitting response to Chinese troops. The number of Chinese soldiers injured is more than that of Indian soldiers. Chinese had come heavily prepared with around 300 soldiers but didn't expect the Indian side also to be well prepared 

The Indian troops inured in the face-off with Chinese troops at LAC in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh have been admitted to a military hospital in Guwahati, Assam.

The Congress on Monday hit out at the Centre over the India-China troops clash along the LAC in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh and said the government needs to take the nation into confidence by discussing the issue in Parliament. The issue is likely to rock the Parliament on Tuesday with several Congress leaders set to move adjournment notices in both Houses for discussing the issue. The Congress has also alleged that the Modi government was suppressing the border issue due to which China was acting with increasing audacity.  

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Again our Indian Army soldiers have been provoked by the Chinese. Our jawans fought in a resolute manner and a few of them have been injured too. We are one with the nation on the issues of national security and would not like to politicize it. But the Modi government should be honest about the Chinese transgressions and the construction at all points near the LAC since April 2020". 

"The government needs to take the nation into confidence by discussing this issue in Parliament," Kharge said on Twitter, adding that "we are forever indebted to the valour and sacrifice of our soldiers".

BJP MP from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao on Monday said "border incidents" like the one that happened between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector will hamper relations between the two countries. Condemning the incident, he said the governments of the two nations must work together to resolve problems.

"I was hurt when I heard about the December 9 incident. I condemn this. If PLA continues doing such things in the future, India-China relations will suffer. Such border incidents are bad for the relations between the two countries. Governments of India and China should work on making the relations better," said Gao, the Lok Sabha MP from the Arunachal East constituency.

Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the LAC in the Tawang sector and the face-off resulted in "minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides", the Indian Army said. The clash near Yangtse along the LAC in the sensitive sector took place last Friday amid the over 30-month border standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh.

After reports emerged of the troops of India and China clashing in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, Major General (Retired) GD Bakshi called it a 'diversion'. Taking part in The Debate on Republic, Maj Gen Bakshi questioned why wold the face-off be confined to a hand-to-hand brawl.

Maj Gen Bakshi said, "Is this the lathi force, no, this is the regular Indian Army. Why should it be so constrained? Let me give you an example from the history. In 1967, in Sikkim, we had a General, named General Sagat Singh. When he took charge, these hand-to-hand clashes, boxing matches, and wrestling matches between us (Indians) and the Chinese were regular routine. The first order he passed on assuming command was- the next soldier who engages with the Chinese in wrestling matches, boxing match, or Twakando, I will quote Marshal- You have been given arms, you have been given ammunition to defend your country, fight light soldiers, use them for good effect."

Reacting to reports of the India-China clash in Tawang, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal said, "Our soldiers are the pride of the country. I salute their bravery and pray to God for their speedy recovery."

Official MoD statement on the Dec 9 clash between Indian & Chinese troops at LAC Yangtse, Tawang sector, Arunachal Pradesh

In certain areas along the LAC in the Tawang Sector in Arunachal Pradesh, there are areas of differing perception, wherein both sides patrol the area up to their claim lines. This has been the trend since 2006. 

Congress reacted to a clash between the soldiers of India and China in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh. Taking to Twitter, the grand-old party wrote, "The time has come for the government to leave its wavering attitude and explain to China in a stern tone that its actions will not be tolerated."

AIMIM reacted to reports of a clash between India and China in Tawang, with its chief Asaduddin Owaisi calling it worrying and alarming. On Twitter, Owaisi questioned the government for not informing the Parliament about the face-off with the disgruntled neighbour in spite of the Parliament being in session. 

"The details of the incident are sketchy. What was the cause of the clash? Were shots fired or was it like Galwan? How many soldiers have been injured? What is their condition? Why can’t the Parliament extend their public support to the soldiers to send a strong message to China?" Owaisi asked. 

Sources say that it was an attempt by China to take over the strategic heights. 5 battalion strength was brought by the Chinese to capture the 17,000 feet peak - around 1000 Chinese soldiers came prepared. 

Indian troops in the area of face-off in Tawang gave a befitting response to Chinese troops. The number of Chinese soldiers injured is more than that of Indian soldiers. Chinese had come heavily prepared with around 300 soldiers but didn't expect the Indian side also to be well prepared, say sources. 

At least 6 soldiers were injured in the India-China clash in the Tawang sector. They were taken to Guwahati for treatment, said sources privy to the incident. 

Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a face-off in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9. The face-off led to minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides. Both sides immediately disengaged from the area. 

People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops on December 9 contacted the LAC in the Tawang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh, which was contested by Indian troops in a firm and resolute manner. This face-off led to minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides. Both sides immediately disengaged from the area. 

 As a follow up to the incident, India's Commander in the area held a Flag Meeting with his counterpart to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity.