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India, China deploy troops in 'large numbers' in border showdown

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Agence France-Presse

India acknowledged for the first time Thursday that it has matched China in massing troops at their contested Himalayan border region after a deadly clash this month.But India&#x27;s foreign ministry accused China of causing the tensions by starting military deployments, and warned relations between the world&#x27;s two most populous nations could be undermined if the standoff continues.The neighbours have blamed each other for a June 15 battle in the Ladakh region in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed while China suffered an unknown number of casualties.While each has said it wants to de-escalate the territorial showdown, India&#x27;s foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said &quot;both sides remain deployed in large numbers in the region, while military and diplomatic contacts are continuing&quot;.Srivastava said &quot;Chinese actions&quot; on the unofficial border, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), led to this month&#x27;s deadly fight with rocks and batons. No shots were fired.&quot;At the heart of the matter is that since early May, the Chinese side has been amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the LAC,&quot; the spokesman charged.He added that China had obstructed India&#x27;s patrols in contravention of accords made to avoid skirmishes between their armies, who fought a border war in 1962 and have regularly clashed since.Srivastava said Chinese forces had built &quot;structures&quot; on the Indian side of their demarcation line in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh where the high-altitude battle was fought.&quot;While there have been occasional departures in the past, the conduct of Chinese forces this year has been in complete disregard of all mutually agreed norms,&quot; the spokesman said.India had &quot;to undertake counter deployments&quot; because of the Chinese buildup, he said.Military commanders have held talks and their foreign ministers have also discussed ways to end the showdown.&quot;Peace and tranquility in the border areas is the basis of our bilateral relationship,&quot; said Srivastava, demanding that China follow up on its pledge to cool tensions.&quot;A continuation of the current situation would only vitiate the atmosphere for the development of the relationship.&quot;China has accused Indian forces of causing the June 15 battle by attacking its troops. Beijing has also called on India &quot;to immediately stop all infringing and provocative actions.&quot;

India acknowledged for the first time Thursday that it has matched China in massing troops at their contested Himalayan border region after a deadly clash this month.

India acknowledged for the first time Thursday that it has matched China in massing troops at their contested Himalayan border region after a deadly clash this month.