The Indian Army said that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldier, who was apprehended on January 8, was handed back to China at Chushul-Moldo at 10.10 AM today.
Amid the ongoing border tensions, the Indian Army apprehended a Chinese soldier on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near the south bank of Pangong Tso in Ladakh on Friday.
"The PLA soldier had transgressed across the LAC and was taken into custody by Indian troops deployed in this area. Troops from either side are deployed along the LAC since friction erupted last year due to unprecedented mobilisation and forward concentration by Chinese troops," the Army said in a statement on Saturday.
Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a tense border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over eight months. The faceoff began in May last year, following a clash between the two sides in the Pangong lake area. Despite several levels of dialogue, there has not been any breakthrough and the deadlock continues.
Two weeks ago, the Defence Ministry in its year-end review had stated that PLA escalated the situation at the LAC in Eastern Ladakh by the utilisation of "unorthodox weapons and amassing large number of troops".
The Ministry said that Chinese made unilateral and provocative actions to change the status quo by force, in more than one area on the LAC. Thereafter India responded in a firm and non-escalatory way, ensuring the sanctity of claims in Eastern Ladakh.
India has categorically conveyed to China that any attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo at the border is unacceptable and that India is determined to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
(Inputs from PTI and IANS)
