New Delhi: Chief of army staff Gen Dalbir Singh was compelled to cancel his visit to Bhutan Monday following ongoing tension in Chumar and Line of Actual Control (LAC).
In a tough reaction to Chinese Army repeatedly making incursion into the Chumar sector of Ladakh, the Indian government has called off an India-China Media Exchange which was scheduled to take place later this week in Delhi.
Government has abruptly withdrawn clearances for Chinese journalists who were coming to Delhi this week for exchange of thoughts with Indian scribes. An India-China media dialogue is an annual practice.
“Due to unavoidable complications, we have had to postpone the India-China Media Exchange. But for now, it stands cancelled,” the organisers told participating Indian journalists.
Despite the reported assurance by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who concluded his three-day visit to India on Friday, the stand-off in Chumar area of Ladakh continued on Sunday with Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) pitching seven tents.
Chumar, the last village in Ladakh area bordering Himachal Pradesh, has been a bone of contention with China claiming it to be its own territory and has been frequenting the area with helicopter incursions almost every year.
Chumar had become a flash point during the fortnight long standoff last year in Daulat Beg Oldie as the Chinese side had objected to overhead bunkers erected by the Indian side.
As part of an agreement reached at the flag meeting to end the standoff from April-May 2013 at DBO, the Indian side had to dismantle some overhead bunkers in Chumar.
