Located at about 5,180 metres altitude, a much-coveted dominating mountain peak—'Bom 6'—has been the main reason behind several violent brawls between India and China militaries at Yangtse in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector over the years.
The fisticuffs and ‘stick fight’ of about 45 minutes on December 9 has injured many soldiers on both sides. At least six Indian soldiers including, one with a head injury, are being treated at a military hospital in Guwahati while injuries suffered by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers have not been declared as yet but are believed to be ‘widespread’.
The brawl has led to escalated tensions in the region even as additional forces were being moved into the vicinity of Yangtse.
In a heightened state of alert, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is reported to have mounted combat patrols along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with reports of unusual drone activity from the China side of the border. The IAF, however, refused to confirm the step-up.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh issued a statement on the issue in the Lok Sabha where he accused the Chinese side of trying to “unilaterally change the status quo”. “The Indian Army prevented the PLA from transgressing into our territory and compelled them to return to their posts,” the minister stated.
Before Friday, the last foray by the Chinese military took place on September 28 last year leading to another brawl.
This very area was in the news early this year on February 6 when seven Indian Army soldiers perished in an avalanche.
The 'Bom 6' peak is just north of the sacred ‘108 waterfalls’ at about 4,420 metres and is not usually patrolled in the winter months when heavy snow and inclement weather almost cut off the stretch.
According to Tibetan Buddhist legends of the local Monpa tribe, the ‘108 waterfalls’ got created after a mythical showdown between Guru Padmasambhava and a high priest of the Bonpa sect that ruled supreme in Tibet and surrounding areas including Arunachal Pradesh in the pre-Buddhist times.
Guru Padmasambhava is among the most revered figures of Tibetan Buddhism.
About a day’s drive across difficult and high-altitude terrain northeast of Tawang, Yangtse is situated right on the McMahon Line that divides Indian and Chinese-controlled territories and is considered the de facto border between the two Asian giants.
The peak that falls in Indian territory, has got a lot of tactical advantage from the military point of view, as it offers a commanding view of the surrounding areas on both sides.
Moreover, China has already set up a ‘xiakong’ (meaning ‘moderately prosperous’) settlement on the foothills on the northern side of 'Bom 6' that falls in China-controlled territory.
In the past, the Chinese military had tried quite a number of times, unsuccessfully, to wrest control of the peak from Indian troops. That is the reason PLA patrols are unusually large—at least of company strength (of about 80-100 soldiers)—on this stretch.
These attempts take place on the excuse that the McMahon Line is not demarcated clearly at many stretches and differences of perception exist as to where the border begins and ends.
Besides Yangtse, the other points of dispute along the ML in Arunachal Pradesh are Namkha Chu, Sumdrong Chu, Asaphilla, Long Ju, Fish Tail I and II, and Dichu.
The latest incident in the backdrop of the ongoing India-China border faceoff in eastern Ladakh is bound to create more complexity to the forthcoming 17th round of senior commander-level military talks between the two sides to resolve the border row.
