New Delhi [India], June 16 (ANI): During the ongoing de-escalation process, a violent face-off took place between Indian and Chinese troops leading to the death of three Army personnel, including an officer and two soldiers, in Galwan Valley, Ladakh.
According to the Indian Army, the face-off took place on Monday night.
“The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers,” the Army said in a statement and added that senior military officials of the two sides are currently engaged in a meeting to defuse the situation.
Indian sources also suggested that there were casualties on the Chinese side. However, it could not be corroborated at the time of filing this report.
After 1975 this is the first violent incident on the India-China border in which casualties have taken place.
Further details are awaited.
Earlier looking to resolve the dispute over Chinese military buildup, India and China were holding talks in Eastern Ladakh.
Army sources had said there has been disengagement between Indian and Chinese troops at more locations where they had been in standoff positions for last many weeks now.
Sources had also said that after the June 6 talks between Military commanders followed by other rounds of talks, there has not been any considerable build-up activity by both sides and Chinese aggressive behaviour has also been toned down, they said.
No incident of any face-off between the troops of the two sides has been reported after the talks started between the two armies, sources said.
Rajnath Singh meets CDS, service chiefs, EAM over developments in Galwan Valley, Ladakh
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, the three service chiefs and External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S Jaishankar over the recent developments in Eastern Ladakh on Tuesday.
During the ongoing de-escalation process, a violent face-off took place between Indian and Chinese troops leading to the death of three Army personnel, including an officer and two soldiers, in Galwan Valley, Ladakh.
Commanding Officer of 16 Bihar regiment lost his life in violent face-off with Chinese soldiers: Army sources
Colonel Santosh Babu, Commanding Officer of the 16 Bihar regiment lost his life in the violent face-off with Chinese soldiers in Galwan valley area near Patrolling Point 14, Indian Army sources said.
The violent face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to “unilaterally change” the status quo during de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side, India said on Tuesday.
The Army confirmed that 20 soldiers were killed in the face-off including 17 who were critically injured at the stand-off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain.
Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area in Ladakh where they had earlier clashed on the night of June 15 and 16, Indian Army said.
Major Generals of India, China talking to defuse situation in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley: Army sources
Major Generals of India and China are talking to defuse the situation in Ladakh‘s Galwan Valley and other areas after the violent face-off last night in which casualties have been suffered by both sides, army sources said on Tuesday.
Indian Army has amended its statement regarding the face-off took place between Indian and Chinese troops leading to the death of three Army personnel, saying that “casualties suffered on both sides” in “violent face-off” during de-escalation process with China in Galwan Valley.
Indian troops ‘crossed border twice’ resulting in serious physical clashes: China
Chinese foreign minister on Tuesday claimed that Indian troops had “crossed the border twice” which lead to the physical clashes between the two countries at the Galwan Valley, Ladakh.
“Indian troops on Monday seriously violated consensus of the two sides by illegally crossing the border twice and carrying out provocative attacks on Chinese soldiers, resulting in serious physical clashes,” China’s Global Times quoted Foreign Minister Wang Yi as saying.
“China has lodged solemn representations with the Indian side and urged it to strictly restrain its frontline troops from crossing the border or taking any unilateral action that may complicate the border situation,” Chinese foreign minister added.
China’s Foreign Minister also said that China and the Indian side agreed to resolve the bilateral issues through dialogue to ease the border situation and maintain peace and tranquillity in the border area.
Indian Army has issued its statement regarding the face-off took place between Indian and Chinese troops leading to the death of three Army personnel, saying that “casualties suffered on both sides” in “violent face-off” during de-escalation process with China in Galwan Valley, Ladakh.
Chinese army attacked Indian Army during de-escalation talks
After talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders on June 6, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops were supposed to move further back in Eastern Ladakh‘s Galwan Valley near the Patrolling Point 14.
While the de-escalation process was underway, a violent face-off took place on Monday night between Indian and Chinese troops leading to the death of three Army personnel, including an officer and two soldiers, in Galwan Valley. After 1975, this is the first violent incident on the India–China border in which casualties have taken place.
“As part of efforts to talk to the Chinese side to honour their commitment made during the June 6 talks, 16 Bihar Commanding Officer Colonel Santosh, initiated talks with the Chinese side, asking them to go back further into their territory,” sources told ANI.
During the talks, the Chinese side started heated arguments with the Indian delegation and started an attack on the Indian side with stones, sticks with spikes and other sharp-edged tools with an intention to cause fatalities to the Indian side, they said.
During the violent scuffles and face-off, the Chinese side outnumbering the Indian troops targeted the 16 Bihar Commanding Officer and personnel.
The scuffles continued for almost three hours. Sources said the Indian side also retaliated and caused casualties to the Chinese side but probably suffered more casualties than stated officially by the Army, sources said, adding that this may go up as many soldiers are still missing, while some are critically injured.
Initially, after the incident came to light, the Army had stated that the Indian side had lost three personnel including Colonel Santosh, a JCO and Sepoy Ojha in the violent face-off in which both sides suffered casualties.
The talks between the two sides at the Major General-level were held on Tuesday also where they discussed the violent face-off in the Galwan area, where the Chinese have violated the Line of Actual Control.
National Security Advisory Board member Lt Gen (retd) SL Narasimhan said that both sides were talking to each other on resolving the issue but said that “it is unlikely that this incident will turn into a major issue” between them.
At least 20 Army soldiers killed in violent face-off in Galwan Valley
At least 20 Indian Army personnel were killed in the violent face-off took place between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh‘s Galwan Valley, government sources said.
Sources added that the casualty numbers could rise.
The incident took place while the de-escalation process was underway.
Reacting on the incident, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that a violent face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Ladakh‘s Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to “unilaterally change” the status quo during de-escalation and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said both sides suffered casualties in the violent face-off and the Chinese side departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held two review meetings over developments in eastern Ladakh during the day.
A meeting was held at the residence of Defence Minister in the evening which was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane
China suffered 43 casualties in violent face-off in Galwan Valley, reveal Indian intercepts
Indian intercepts reveal that Chinese side suffered 43 casualties including dead and seriously injured in the violent face-off in Ladakh‘s Galwan valley, sources confirmed to ANI.
The violent face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Ladakh‘s Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to “unilaterally change” the status quo during de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side, India said on Tuesday.
At least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the violent face-off, government sources said and added that the casualty numbers could rise.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said earlier in the day that both sides suffered casualties in the violent face-off and the Chinese side departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held two review meetings over developments in Eastern Ladakh during the day.
Indian, Chinese troops disengage in Galwan area after violent face-off
Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area in Ladakh where they had earlier clashed on the night of June 15 and 16, Indian Army said on Tuesday.
The Army also confirmed that 20 soldiers were killed in the face-off including 17 who were critically injured at the stand-off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain.
“Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020. Seventeen Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20,” the statement said.
The Army had said earlier in the day that an officer and two soldiers had been killed in the stand-off.
Indian intercepts have revealed that Chinese side suffered 43 casualties including dead and seriously injured in the violent face-off in Ladakh‘s Galwan valley, sources confirmed to ANI.
