India and China accused each other of opening fire at the border in eastern Ladakh on Monday, breaking the ceasefire agreement for the first time in 45 years and marking an escalation in tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between the two countries.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Senior Colonel Zhang Shuili, a spokesperson of the Western Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), blasted the Indian army again for illegally crossing the LAC in the Shenpao Mountain area near the southern bank of Pangong Tso lake on Monday and fired warning shots at PLA border patrol soldiers who were about to negotiate.

In return, Chinese troops were “forced to take countermeasures”, details of which were not specified, to stabilize the situation.

Zhang called India’s latest move “a severe military provocation” and a serious violation of consensus reached in previous engagements by the two countries. Such action stirred up tensions in the region and would easily cause misunderstandings and misjudgments, said Zhang, who also urged the Indian authorities to investigate into the personnel who fired arms to provoke the tension.

“Western Theater Command will resolutely follow the order and duty, and protect the sovereignty and dignity of China,” Zhang asserted.

India has rejected China’s allegation of violating border agreement. “At no stage has the Indian Army transgressed across the LAC or resorted to use of any aggressive means, including firing,” read a statement issued by the Indian Army.

“It was the PLA troops who were attempting to close-in with one of our forward positions along the LAC and when dissuaded by own (Indian) troops, PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate own troops,” the statement hit back.

The incident was widely reported in Indian media outlets. Hindustan Times reported Chinese claims to take countermeasures against India’s “military provocation” as well as India’s rebuttal statement.

“PLA’s weaponry has a great upper hand in quantity and quality. If the two sides engage in a military showdown, Indian troops will suffer a more disastrous defeat than that in 1962,” tweeted Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of Beijing’s mouthpiece Global Times.

“The Indian side is underestimating China’s will as they did before in 1962 and takes for granted that China dares not fight a war. But PLA has planned for the worst and is confident of utterly defeating Indian army in a conflict of any level,” Hu wrote in another tweet.

The two countries signed bilateral border agreements in 1975, which include restrictions on the use of firearms during face-offs. Yesterday’s confrontation marked the first time shots were fired at the LAC, according to Hindustan Times.

Tensions flared over border disputes between India and China since this May, resulting in deadly clashes that have killed at least 20 Indian soldiers in June. The two sides were engaged in over five diplomatic and military talks to resolve the row, but no consensus has been reached so far.

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