India has firm control on 17,000-ft peak in Arunachal, Rajnath holds high-level meet

New Delhi: After a clash between the Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) over the 17,000-ft high peak in Arunachal Pradesh, sources have confirmed that India has a firm control on the peak, and now both sides have disengaged from the area. The clash erupted on December 9.

A source in the Indian Army informed news agency IANS that India has a firm control of the peak. This 17,000-ft high peak provides a commandeering view on both sides of the border and is very strategic.

The location of the clash was important. China has been repeatedly trying to take control of the peak, he added.

The area commanders of both Indian and Chinese armies held a flag meeting after the December 9 clash in Arunachal Pradesh. Both sides also immediately disengaged from the area. The area commanders of both armies held the discussion in accordance with the structured mechanisms to restore normalcy.

On December 9, around 300 PLA soldiers came close to the LAC in the Tawang sector, which triggered the clash.

A source informed that there were injuries to both Indian and Chinese soldiers and six of the injured had been admitted to the military hospital at Guwahati, but there was no report of any death.

This is the first incident that such a clash has been reported between the Indian and Chinese troops since the confrontation at Eastern Ladakh.

Earlier this month, China had also objected to India-US joint military exercise at Auli in Uttarakhand. India dismissed China's objection. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said the joint exercises had nothing to do with the 1993 and 1996 agreements with China.