China closes Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims after Indian troops enter Chinese territory
Monitoring Desk: Border tension between India and China has increased on Tuesday as China closes Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims.
It is pertinent to mention that Indian troops entered the Chinese territory in Sikkim section on June 25, 2017 and Chinese border forces responded cross-border intervention forcefully.
Nathu La is a mountain pass in the Himalayas connecting Indian state of Sikkim with China. The capital of Sikkim Gangtok city is just 54 Km from this pass. Only citizens of India can visit the pass, and then only after obtaining a permit in Gangtok.
According to Chinese media, the Indian border troops crossed the China-India boundary at the Sikkim section and entered the Chinese territory, obstructing Chinese border troops’ normal activities in Doklam and Chinese side has taken proportionate measures in response.
While India media reports that China has closed down the Nathu La pass entry for Indian pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar.
Foreign Ministry of India confirms that China has lodged diplomatic protests with India, calling movement of Indian troops as “trespassing into Chinese territory” in the Sikkim sector.
It may be mentioned that Sikkim section of the China-India boundary was defined under the Convention Between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet in 1890.
India has border issues with all of its neighbours including China, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh and cross-border interventions from Indian forces increased in recent past at Indo-Pak an Indo-Sino borders.
