Several Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in a clash at a strategically important mountain pass near Tibet, according to the Indian army. The confrontation occurred on Saturday at the Naku La sector near the Nathu La crossing in Sikkim, a region with long-standing border tensions.
The incident, which involved stone-throwing and fistfights, led to minor injuries for both sides. The clash, involving around 150 soldiers, was resolved after local-level dialogue. Indian army spokesman Mandeep Hooda explained that such short-duration face-offs are common as border issues remain unresolved.
This altercation is part of a series of similar confrontations between the two countries, with notable incidents including a 2017 brawl in Ladakh and a prolonged standoff in Bhutan’s Doklam region. Despite these tensions, relations between India and China had shown signs of improvement following talks between their leaders in 2018 and 2019. However, China continues to claim large portions of territory under Indian control.