NEW DELHI, October 26, 2026 — India has confirmed that military face-offs with Chinese forces are continuing at multiple locations in Arunachal Pradesh. The External Affairs Ministry stated the situation along the Line of Actual Control is disturbed when Chinese troops diverge from established patrolling patterns.
Ongoing Face-offs in the Eastern Sector
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General Shatrujeet Kapur said on Thursday that face-offs had occurred at several locations in Arunachal Pradesh in recent days and that the situation still continues. He made the remarks while addressing troops at a base in Alwar, Rajasthan. The ITBP is one of the primary formations responsible for guarding sections of the LAC in the eastern sector.
The disclosure follows earlier reports of tensions between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at Taksing, a remote area in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district, during July and August. India and China held the first round of military commander talks in the eastern sector in Arunachal Pradesh on September 6 and 7, days before Chinese President Xi Jinping travelled to India for the BRICS Summit.
Official Stance on Patrolling Deviations
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the situation at a regular media briefing on Friday. He did not refer directly to Kapur’s comments but acknowledged the core issue. “The situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is disturbed whenever Chinese troops diverge from established patrolling patterns,” Jaiswal said.
He reiterated India’s long-standing position that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations. The ministry emphasized that both sides continue to use existing diplomatic and military mechanisms to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation along the LAC.
Deployment of Specialized ITBP Units
Kapur confirmed that the ITBP mobilized its specialized ‘Shaurya commandos’ during the ongoing face-offs. He described the commandos as having played an exemplary role in the recent incidents. The force is working to raise one full battalion of these high-altitude mountain fighting specialists, distinct from the regular Army.
In addition to the commando deployment, the ITBP has raised new drone platoons for all border units. The force has also developed a new ‘strike course’ designed to prepare personnel for potential high-altitude conflicts, drawing lessons from the Galwan Valley clash of 2020. Kapur noted that the ITBP was originally raised as a mountain guerilla force before being given border guarding duty along China in 2004.
Diplomatic Channels and Border Management
Both nations have agreed to discuss methods to improve their mutual understanding of the LAC in appropriate areas for better border management, according to Jaiswal. The two sides are utilizing existing diplomatic and military channels to manage the current friction.
During the BRICS Summit in September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi welcomed “steady progress” in bilateral relations. However, the Indian side emphasized that peace and tranquillity in the border areas would remain the “essential basis” for developing ties. For his part, Xi argued for a dual-track approach to bilateral relations and the border issue.
Historical Roots of the Dispute
The border dispute is rooted in historical disagreements over the McMahon Line and other colonial-era border agreements. The McMahon Line was drawn in 1914 during the Simla Convention between British-ruled India and Tibet but was rejected by China. The lack of mutually recognized boundary agreements has led to ongoing tensions and occasional military clashes across the sectors.
Sources
- India news: Rahul Gandhi urges protest against voter deletions, announces November 1 rally
- LAC situation ‘disturbed’ when Chinese troops diverge from patrolling patterns: India's external affairs ministry after border standoff
- India-China border frictions recur as Chinese forces stray from patrol routes, MEA clarifies stand
Photo: JyotiPN (CC BY-SA 4.0)
