New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) India today said an unmannedaerial vehicle (UAV) had "crossed over" the border with Chinain the Sikkim sector after losing contact with the groundcontrol due to some technical problem.
The defence ministry said the Indian border securitypersonnel, as per standard protocol, immediately alerted theirChinese counterparts to locate the UAV and they later revertedwith its location.
In Beijing, the Chinese defence ministry said the Indiandrone recently "intruded" into its airspace and crashed in theSikkim sector, prompting it to lodge a diplomatic protest withIndia over the violation of China's territorial sovereignty.
The defence ministry here said the exact cause of theincident is under investigation.
Sources said the UAV belonged to the Indian Army.
The incident comes to light days before Chinese ForeignMinister Wang Yi's visit here to attend the Russia-India-Chinatrilateral meeting.
"An Indian UAV which was on a regular training missioninside the Indian territory lost contact with the groundcontrol due to some technical problem and crossed over (to)the LAC in the Sikkim Sector," the defence ministry said in astatement.
It further said, "As per standard protocol, the Indianborder security personnel immediately alerted their Chinesecounterparts to locate the UAV. In response, the Chinese sidereverted with the location details of the UAV."It did not clarify when the incident happened.
"The matter is being dealt with in accordance with theestablished protocols through institutional mechanisms to dealwith situations along the India- China border areas," it said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said thecountry has lodged a diplomatic protest with India over thedrone violating Chinese sovereignty.
The armies of India and China were engaged in a 73-day-long standoff in Dokalam after Indian troops stopped Chinesesoldiers from building a key road in the area. The face-offhad ended on August 28. Dokalam is located in the Sikkimsection of the India-China border. PTI MPBZMN.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.