LAC situation disturbed by Chinese Army: Ministry of External Affairs

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is disturbed from time to time as Chinese forces diverge from established patrolling patterns.

This came a day after Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) director general Shatrujeet Kapur said confrontation with Chinese troops continue to take place at a number of sites along the Arunachal border.

When asked about the ITBP chief’s remarks, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “As we have noted in the past, the situation in the India-China border areas gets disturbed from time to time when Chinese forces diverge from established patrolling patterns.”

“Insofar as the specifics are concerned, I would refer you to the Ministry of Defence,” he added.

Addressing the MEA’s bi-weekly briefing, Jaiswal said Indian and Chinese sides continue to use existing diplomatic and military mechanisms to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation along the LAC. The two sides also agreed to discuss ways to improve understanding of LAC in appropriate areas for better border management, he said.

“I would also like to emphasise that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations,” the MEA spokesperson said.

In his remarks at an ITBP base in Alwar, Rajasthan, ahead of the force’s 65th Raising Day on October 24, the outgoing ITBP chief said conventional warfare was no longer sufficient to counter China.

He said his force has raised drone platoons in all its border units and prepared a new 'Strike' course to better handle Galwan-like battles.

The Congress held a press conference on Friday afternoon where it demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi take the nation and Parliament into confidence by making a comprehensive statement on the border situation.

It accused Modi of being a “coward” for not raising border issues with China during his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Modi met Xi in Kazan, Russia, on the sidelines of the Brics Summit in October 2024. The meeting paved the way for a thaw between the two neighbours after the friction over the clashes in Galwan in mid-2020.

The two also met on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin, China, in August 2025, which was Modi’s first visit to India’s northern neighbour in seven years.

Xi visited New Delhi, his first visit to India since 2019, to attend the Brics Summit that India hosted in September 2026.

At the talks between the two leaders in New Delhi during Brics, Modi emphasised that peace and tranquility along the LAC was essential for bilateral development. He urged the observance of existing border agreements.

Xi proposed that the two countries should look at bilateral relations from a long-term, strategic perspective, and described India as a partner, not a rival.

Modi stressed that both sides must show sensitivity to each other's core issues and let relations be guided by the “three mutuals” — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest.

The Congress said that the truth about China has come out in the open with ITBP DG Kapoor admitting that skirmishes with China continue at the border and that in the past few days a situation arose "where a face-off happened at several locations in Arunachal, and it still continues." The Congress claimed that owing to the PM's "clean chit" in 2020 after violence in eastern Ladakh, China felt emboldened in Arunachal Pradesh.

In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Enough clean chits to China. PM Modi must come clean before India!” He said India's armed forces had complete confidence of the people, “but national security demands accountability, not diplomatic photo opportunities and Hugplomacy!” “Instead of attacking the Opposition, PM Modi must take Parliament and the Nation into confidence,” Kharge said, posing a set of three questions on national security, economic policy and diplomatic accountability.

Noting that the ITBP DG's confirmation of continuing face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh was “deeply alarming,” he asked whether another serious confrontation was unfolding after Doklam and Galwan.

“Reports of Chinese incursions near Taksing emerged in August. Yet, even 47 days after Corps Commander-level talks at Wacha “Damai, reportedly just 180 km away, confrontations continue. Has India's patrolling access been compromised? Arunachal Pradesh is an inseparable part of India. Why is the nation being kept in the dark?” he asked, questioning whether India's pre-May 2020 patrolling rights had been fully restored.

Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said there had been a “deafening silence” on China from the PM and his establishment.

Addressing a press conference, the Congress's head of media and publicity Pawan Khera said, “In 2026, the country deserves a clean account of what is happening on its borders. Enough of clean chits to China, it is time for the Modi government to come clean before India.”