India’s stealth capture of border territory angers China, as New Delhi bans more Chinese apps including PUBG

India triggered the latest clash with China on their Himalayan border by executing a stealth nighttime operation to claim strategic outposts offering a clear view of troop movements in disputed territory, according to Indian officials with knowledge of the matter.

In what the officials called India’s first offensive move since the conflict began in May, thousands of soldiers climbed up mountain peaks for about six hours to claim the vantage points along the south bank of Pangong Tso – a glacial lake roughly the size of Singapore. The action was taken to counter what India saw an intrusion by Chinese forces, the officials said, asking not to be identified because of rules on speaking to the media.

The decision to capture high ground that was previously unoccupied along the 3,488km Line of Actual Control revived a conflict that had been largely dormant since June. Back then, India and China’s worst dispute in four decades culminated in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers in an ugly battle.

China on Wednesday accused India of breaching agreements between the two sides and unilaterally changing the status quo. An Indian Army spokesman was not immediately available for a comment.

Two meetings between senior Indian and Chinese military personnel since the weekend have ended in a deadlock, but commanders from both sides continued to engage each other on Wednesday. While India denied that troops crossed the Line of Actual Control, the move will prevent China from easily monitoring an Indian road that is crucial for transporting supplies, soldiers and heavy artillery to forward posts along the disputed border.