New Delhi: Confrontations with Chinese troops are continuing at several locations along the border in Arunachal Pradesh, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General Shatrujeet Kapur said, as the Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of maintaining a “deafening silence” over the reported face-offs.

“In the past few-days, a situation arose where face-off happened at several locations in Arunachal and it still continues,” Kapur said on Thursday, as reported by The Hindu.

The remarks mark the first official confirmation of the scale of the reported tensions along the north-eastern border since July this year.

Government sources told The Hindu that India and China have been engaged in a stand-off at Asaphila near Taksing in Arunachal Pradesh since late July. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has pitched tents at an elevated location, around 6 km to 7 km within India's perception of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), near the Maja company operating base in Taksing circle of Upper Subansiri district, the sources said.

“Sometime in July, during routine patrolling, Indian and Chinese troops came face to face near Maja. After brief confrontation, both sides returned but the Chinese PLA came back in larger number few days later and pitched tents, around 6-7 kms within India’s perception of the LAC,” a source said.

India has also increased its deployment along the border, according to the report.

The reported stand-off has persisted despite Chinese President Xi Jinping attending the 18th BRICS Summit hosted by India from September 11 to 13 and the two countries holding three high-level border-related meetings since July.

The 36th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs was held on August 6. It was followed by the 25th round of talks between the Special Representatives on the boundary question in Beijing on August 26, with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval representing India.

On September 6, the two armies held their first-ever Corps Commander-level meeting in the eastern sector at the Vacha-Damai Border Personnel Meeting Point in Arunachal Pradesh. Such meetings have largely been held at the Chushul-Moldo Border Meeting Point in eastern Ladakh, particularly after the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020.

The Army and the ITBP are deployed along the China border, with long-range patrols regularly sent to forward areas. In Arunachal Pradesh, such patrols are conducted between June and October, depending on weather conditions.

Congress targets Modi over reported face-offs

Reacting to the report, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh accused the prime minister and his establishment of remaining silent over the reported confrontations, while alleging that India continued to make concessions to China.

“While the self-styled Vishwaguru's calibrated concessions to China continue, the DG, ITBP, has lauded --and rightly so -- its performance in recent face-offs with the PLA in Arunachal Pradesh, on which there has been a deafening silence from the PM and his establishment,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

Sharing the media report quoting Kapur, Ramesh claimed that Corps Commander-level talks were held at Wacha and Damai in Arunachal Pradesh last month following the Taksing face-off.

“Locals had reported that patrolling points had been lost once again, as in Ladakh. China continues to rename our towns in Arunachal Pradesh and is building a 60,000-MW dam that threatens our ecological and water security,” he said.

Ramesh also raised concerns over India's growing trade deficit with China, which he said had reached a record USD 112 billion in 2025-26, up from USD 99 billion in the previous financial year.

“This has simply crushed our MSMEs in many industries. Make in India has become Import from China. This staggering trade deficit is in itself a very significant threat to our economic security,” he said.

The Congress leader also referred to Modi's remarks following the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020, in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.

“India has been paying the price for the PM's infamous clean chit to China on June 19, 2020, when he said, after 20 of our brave jawans had been martyred: 'Na koi wahan humari seema mein ghus aaya hai aur na hi koi ghusa hua hai, na hi humari koi post kisi doosre ke kabze mein hai',” Ramesh said.

He further cited remarks attributed to retired Army chief General M M Naravane, claiming that the only instructions he received during the Ladakh incursions were -- “jo uchit samjho woh karo”.

Ramesh also referred to Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul Singh's remarks on China's role in Pakistan's military campaign during Operation Sindoor, made on July 4, 2025.

“Yet, on August 25, 2026, the retired Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Anil Chauhan, publicly contradicted Lt. Gen. Rahul Singh's revelations and, soon thereafter, took over a think tank that is a key part of the RSS/BJP ecosystem,” he said.

There was no immediate response from the government or the BJP to the Congress leader's latest allegations.

The Congress has repeatedly criticised the Modi government over its handling of relations with China and alleged Chinese incursions. The government has rejected such claims in the past, while the BJP has accused the opposition party of demoralising the armed forces.