India said China continues to deploy a large number of troops, armaments in border areas

New Delhi: India hit out at China on Thursday for once again holding it responsible for the eastern Ladakh standoff, asserting that the "provocative" behaviour and "unilateral" attempts by the Chinese military to alter the status quo resulted in a serious disturbance of peace and tranquillity in the region.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said China continues to deploy a large number of troops and armaments in the border areas and it was in response to Chinese actions that the Indian armed forces had to make appropriate counter deployments.

He said it is India's expectation that the Chinese side will work towards an early resolution of the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols.

India's reaction came in response to China's fresh allegation that the "root cause" of the tensions between the two countries was New Delhi following a "forward policy" and "illegally" encroaching Chinese territory.

Mr Bagchi said India already made its position clear a few days ago and rejected such statements that have "no basis in facts".

"It was the amassing of a large number of troops by the Chinese side, their provocative behaviour and unilateral attempts to alter status quo in contravention of all our bilateral agreements that resulted in the serious disturbance of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in eastern Ladakh," he said.

"China continues to deploy a large number of troops and armaments in the border areas. It was in response to Chinese actions that our armed forces had to make appropriate counter deployments in these areas to ensure that India's security interests are fully protected," Mr Bagchi said.

He also referred to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's message to his Chinese counterpart at a meeting in Dushanbe earlier this month.

"As emphasised by the external affairs minister at his meeting with the Chinese foreign minister earlier this month, it is our expectation that the Chinese side will work towards an early resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in eastern Ladakh while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols," Mr Bagchi said.