Chinese forces have held onto a chunk of land covering several square kilometres (miles) at the mouth of the Galwan valley in Ladakh following a deadly brawl there on June 15, the Indian military sources have told Agence France Presse (AFP).
The two sides publicly declared they would pull back following the clash, which saw 20 Indian soldiers killed in a battle involving rocks and nail-studded batons.
But both have maintained troops around the valley, with India deploying more forces and trying to project military might.
Indian jets regularly took off Wednesday from a military base in Leh, the main Indian town in the contested region, and headed towards the mountainous border 240 kilometres (150 miles) away.
There were also checkpoints on main roads out Leh and a frenzy of military activity around the main town, which lies at 3,500 metres (11,500 feet).
Residents reported long lines of military trucks and artillery on roads near Leh.
“We now have a good strength present in the area,” an official of the Indian army’s Northern Command told AFP on condition of anonymity, referring to the reinforcements.
Tashi Chhepal, a retired Indian army captain who has served in the area and is based in Leh, said the mobilisation was unprecedented in a sensitive region touching Pakistan as well as China.
“I haven’t seen this kind of military movement before,” he told AFP.
According to Indian military sources, Chinese troops ambushed Indian soldiers and forced them down a ridge where they had gone to remove a Chinese “encroachment”.
A bilateral accord prevents the use of guns, but the fighting was still fierce, reportedly with rocks and batons wrapped with barbed wire.
China has in turn accused Indian soldiers of twice crossing the Line of Actual Control, the unofficial boundary, provoking its troops.
But the Chinese appear to be sticking to their gains at Galwan and the nearby Pangong Tso lake, police intelligence as well as military sources told AFP. (Agencies)
