India, China troops clash: Rajnath Singh briefs Parliament, says 'Army stopped PLA, forced them to retreat'

India-China Border Clash: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday briefed the ongoing winter session of Parliament on the recent clashes between the Indian Army and China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Arunachal's Tawang sector along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). According to an official statement, Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the LAC in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9 and the face-off resulted in "minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides". The clash near Yangtse along the LAC in the sensitive sector took place even as the impasse between the two sides continues in the over 30-month border standoff in eastern Ladakh. Since August 2020, it is the first major clash between the Indian and Chinese armies near Rinchen La in eastern Ladakh.

 Here are the latest updates on the India-China border clashes:

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday afternoon at 12 PM. He said, "Chinese side asked to refrain from such actions, maintain peace, tranquillity along the border: Rajnath Singh in LS on Tawang clash. Chinese side asked to refrain from such actions, maintain peace, tranquillity along border: Rajnath Singh in LS on Tawang clash."

He further noted, "I am confident this House will respect capability, valour and commitment of our armed forces: Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha. Our armed forces are committed to protect territorial integrity of our country: Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha on Tawang clash."

Making a statement in Lok Sabha https://t.co/H17eHCiW0x

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 13, 2022

"Our armed forces are always ready to stop any attempt of transgression at our borders", said Rajnath Singh.

"No loss of life or any serious injury to our soldiers", the Defence Minister confirmed in Lok Sabha on Tawang clash with Chinese troops.

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "Probe into PM Cares Fund & see whom all have donated to it, PM Cares Fund has received money from a lot of Chinese companies".

Earlier in the day, Defence Minister on Tuesday held a high level meeting with Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and service chiefs. The meeting was conducted a day after the conflict between Indian and Chinese troops was reported in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector on December 9.

What happened on December 9?

According to IANS report, on December 9 along the section of the Line of Actual control (LAC) at Yangtse, some 35 km north-east of Tawang in the western part of Arunachal Pradesh, around 300 soldiers of the People`s Liberation Army came close to the LAC in the Tawang sector. 

It resulted in a clash between Indian and Chinese troops. A source informed that there have been injuries to both Indian and Chinese soldiers and six of the injured had been admitted to the military hospital at Guwahati, but there are no reports of any death. 

According to the sources, the face-off took place at the Tawang Sector of Arunachal Pradesh. This is the first incident in a long time that such clashes have been reported between the Indian and Chinese troops since the confrontation at eastern Ladakh. 

Earlier this month, China had also objected to India- American joint military exercise at Auli in Uttarakhand. Though India dismissed China`s objection to the joint exercise near the Line of Actual Control in Uttarakhand`s Auli, saying it did not give a veto to third countries on these issues.