Rejecting Beijing’s claim that its army is building defensive fortifications within China, India's Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said that any suggestion that Delhi was undertaking activity across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector or the Sikkim sector is inaccurate. Indian troops are familiar with the LAC and all activities are taken only on the Indian side, it added.
It is the Chinese side that has hindered Indian patrolling, the ministry said. It also alleged that the Chinese side recently undertook activity hindering India’s normal patrolling patterns.
On Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused India of "obstructing normal patrols and operations of Chinese border troops”.
Earlier this week, China claimed Galwan Valley as its territory and deployed hundreds of People’s Liberation Army troops in dozens of tents, after which media reports said India had rushed additional troops to the contested area.
Indian and Chinese troops have been in a border stand-off since the last week of April, but the situation turned tense when around 250 personnel from both sides were injured in a recent clash. Both sides have expressed concerns and sought to solve the matter bilaterally.
The two countries share a border of approximately 4,000 kilometres ranging from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.