Parliamentary panel briefed on Chinese incursion

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) With opposition members demanding details about the stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh, Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma and defence ministry officials appeared before a parliamentary committee Friday to give details of the incursion.

The parliamentary panel was told that Chinese troops had intruded 19 km inside Indian territory in Depsang in Ladakh region and pitched tents. The officials also told the panel that efforts are underway to ensure that the status quo is maintained, sources said.

Bharatiya Janata Party members Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Prakash Javadekar had demanded that members be informed of the ground situation.

Members were reported to be dissatisfied with the information provided and the officials were asked to come to the next meeting on May 30 with requisite data and details of the situation.

Indian Army patrols had reported the presence of Chinese People's Liberation Army troops in Depsang on April 16.

They told the panel that differences in the perception of the LAC are taken up with the Chinese side through established mechanisms like flag meetings, hotlines and diplomatic channels,