Chinese fighter jet flew close to friction point in east Ladakh: Report
1 min read . Updated: 08 Jul 2022, 05:48 PM IST
PremiumThe incident is said to have taken place at a time when the Chinese side is holding exercises involving its fighter jets and air defence weaponry, including the S-400 air defence system in the areas bordering the Eastern Ladakh sector
An aircraft of the Chinese Air Force flew very close to a friction point in the eastern Ladakh sector on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the last week of June, reported news agency ANI, quoting sources.
The incident took place at around 4 am on one of the days in the last week of June. The aircraft was spotted by men on the ground and also picked by indigenous radars deployed in the border area.
Following this, the Indian Air Force responded as per the standard operating procedures. According to the news agency, the matter was also taken up with the Chinese as per the east abolished mechanism.
It was clarified that the particular incident was not a very serious one but such instances should be avoided by the other side as they can lead to possible escalation.
India-China standoff
The incident is said to have taken place at a time when the Chinese side is holding exercises involving its fighter jets and air defence weaponry, including the S-400 air defence system in the areas bordering the Eastern Ladakh sector.
The aircraft came very close to the areas on the LAC which have seen confrontations between the Indian and Chinese sides during the ongoing military stand-off between the two sides since May 2020.
The Chinese have a large number of fighter jets and unmanned aircraft deployed at positions near the Indian territory, including the major airfields in Hotan and Gar Gunsa which have been upgraded immensely during the last two years.
It was during such wargames on the Chinese side in 2020 when the People's Liberation Army diverted its troops in heavy numbers towards the Indian positions in Eastern Ladakh, which led to multiple face-offs and physical fights in the area.
The Indian Army and Air Force have strengthened their positions heavily since then and the entire Ladakh sector has been fortified to an extent.
Even though the Chinese have been doing infrastructure development in the areas illegally occupied by them opposite the Ladakh sector, Indian authorities have said that they have taken measures to build facilities for large-scale deployments at short notice.
The infrastructure, including roads in Ladakh, has been developed to make it easier for troops to reach the frontline in short let timeframes than before.
With inputs from agencies.
