Twang clash: More than two years after the deadly Galwan clash, Indian and Chinese troops clashed in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector on December 9. Both sides suffered minor injuries as a result of the faceoff. The clash occurred near Yangtse along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The Indian Army issued the following statement: “On December 9, PLA troops made contact with the LAC in Tawang Sector, which was fiercely contested by their own (Indian) troops. This clash resulted in minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides “.
According to the report of PTI, 200 Chinese soldiers carrying spiked clubs and sticks were pushed back into the Indian side of the LAC in Tawang clash. According to the Army, perceptions of the LAC differ in different parts of Tawang.
In June 2020, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action during a hand-to-hand battle with the Chinese army in Galwan Valley. A number of Chinese troops were also killed in the brutal battle.
Where is Tawang? Why expansionist china eye it?
Tawang is located at an elevation of 17,000 feet. This location is strategically significant for India. During the 1962 war, China captured large part of the area but later vacated it due to the McMohan line.
China has had its sights set on Indian territory at Tawang ever since.
China wants to take over the Tawang post in order to keep an eye on the LAC and Tibet. The communist country seeks to rule the region.
Tawang is also linked to the Dalai Lama. Lama fled China-controlled Tibet in 1959 and sought asylum in India. He stayed in the area for a few days. This is also one of the major reasons for Tawang clash.
Tawang and Chamba Valley are both strategically important in India’s eyes. Tawang is near the China-Bhutan border, whereas Chamba is near the Nepal-Tibet border. A large portion of Arunachal Pradesh is considered Chinese territory. If it gains control of these two positions, it will have a strategic advantage over India in Arunachal.
India, on the other hand, has not taken any chances. The country has been constructing infrastructure near all of its major borders with China. Since the Galwan attack, India has devoted resources to countering China’s expansionist intentions.
