Fresh skirmish between Indian and Chinese troops at LAC, firing takes place

Ladakh: An incident of firing took place on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh sector where troops of India and China have been engaged in a stand-off for over three months, sources said on Tuesday.

China said Indian forces crossed into territory it holds along their disputed border and fired warning shots at a Chinese patrol in a move it called a "serious military provocation" and a violation of their agreements.

China's western military command said the incursion occurred Monday along the southern coast of Pangong Lake in the area known in Chinese as Shenpaoshan.

After shots were fired, Chinese forces took "necessary measures to stabilise and control the situation," the command said, in the statement citing spokesman Zhang Shuili. It demanded the Indian forces withdraw and investigate the move to open fire.

There was no word of casualties on either side.

India recently outflanked China by taking control of strategic height near Pangong lake's southern bank. It thwarted an attempt by the Chinese army to transgress into Indian areas near the southern bank of Pangong Tso near Chushul in Ladakh.

India and China are engaged in a standoff since April-May over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas including Finger area, Galwan valley, Hot springs and Kongrung Nala. The situation worsened after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan valley in June.

The nuclear-armed rivals have been engaged in a tense standoff in the cold-desert Ladakh region since May, and their defense ministers met Friday in Moscow in the first high-level direct contact between the sides since the standoff began.

The talks between the two sides have been going on for the last three months including five Lieutenant general-level talks but have failed to yield any results, so far.