A Chinese soldier, who was apprehended by the Indian Army on January 8 after he strayed across the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC), was on Monday returned to the Chinese authorities, army officials familiar with the development said.
The soldier was apprehended near the southern bank of Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh last week, amid the ongoing border standoff between the two sides. He was returned to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at the Chushul-Moldo meeting point at 10.10am, the officials said.
China had, on Saturday, demanded that soldier be returned immediately. The Chinese authorities said the soldier “went astray” along the India-China border due to “darkness and complicated geography.”
This is the second time a Chinese soldier has been held by the Indian Army after crossing into Indian territory since the border row erupted last May.
Heights on both banks of the lake have been at the centre of the border row between the two countries.
The PLA soldier was dealt with according to procedures, and circumstances under which he crossed the LAC were investigated.
In October 2020, the Indian Army had apprehended a Chinese soldier in the Demchok sector after he strayed across the LAC. The army identified the soldier as Corporal Wang Ya Long. It then said it had received a request from the PLA about the whereabouts of the missing soldier.
Corporal Wang was provided medical assistance including oxygen, food and warm clothes. The soldier was returned to the Chinese side after the investigations and formalities were completed.
While India has consistently pushed for comprehensive disengagement at all flashpoints and the restoration of status quo ante of early April during the ongoing military talks, the Chinese side wants the Indian Army to first pull back troops deployed at strategic heights on the southern bank of Pangong Tso.
The two armies have held eight rounds of military talks so far, with dates yet to be announced for the delayed ninth round of dialogue between corps commander-ranked officers.