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US shared intel with India to repel Chinese troops? White House says…
Last month, three powerful US Senators introduced a bipartisan resolution in the Senate reaffirming Arunachal Pradesh as an “integral part of India” and supporting India’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The White House has refused to cofirm a news report claiming the US military shared intelligence with India to help repel a Chinese incursion along Line of Actual Control late last year. John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House, was asked to confirm the news report during a daily news conference on Monday.
"No, I can't confirm that," Kirby replied.
U.S. News & World Report has claimed that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) was “caught off-guard” as Indian Army repelled an attempted incursion due to an “unprecedented intelligence-sharing with the US military.”
Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the contested LAC Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang sector, leading to injuries on both sides. The Indian troops responded resolutely to the Chinese provocation, the army had said, wihtout elaborating on the details of the face off.
(Also Read | Big Picture: Lessons from PLA Tawang incursions and China’s global ambitions)
HT reported that more than 300 Chinese soldiers were present in the area where the latest incident took place. While at least six Indian soldiers were injured in the brawl, the number of wounded Chinese soldiers was likely higher. The army said in a statement that both sides immediately disengaged from the area and flag meeting was held to discuss the issue in accordance with structured mechanisms to restore peace and tranquillity.
“In certain areas along the LAC in the Tawang sector, there are areas of differing perception, wherein both sides patrol the area up to their claim lines. This has been the trend since 2006,” the statement added.
US News, in its exclusive report published on Monday, said the US government provided real-time details to its Indian counterparts of the Chinese positions and force strength in advance of a PLA incursion, enraging Beijing.
"The information included actionable satellite imagery and was more detailed and delivered more quickly than anything the US had previously shared with the Indian military," it said.
Citing an unnamed source, the report said that the Indian troops were waiting to retaliate against the PLA and the intelligence sharing demosntrated a test case on the success of cooperation between the two militaries.
