With initial reports of three India army personnel killed at the fierce clash with Chinese troops, it turned out to be the biggest military confrontation in the last five decades. Over 20 other soldiers were critically injured in the line of duty. Later, the 20 soldiers succumbed to their injuries. that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff in the region.
Indian Army confirmed that 20 men have died in the clash at Galwan Valley, however, identities of only 3 personnel have been made public till now. After India and China had agreed that Chinese troops would further disengage and return to their territory in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley on June 6, talks between major generals of both sides were supposed to take place on June 16.
As PLA troops didn’t move back, a patrol team of the Indian Army led by Colonel Santosh Babu of 16 Bihar Regiment set out to hold a discussion with the Chinese side.
The Chinese refused to move back and deliberately aggravated the situation.
They started to attack the Indian delegation with sticks, stones and clubs wrapped in barbed wire.
Indian military sources said no firearms were used in the clashes and that most of the injuries were sustained following stone-pelting and use of rods by the Chinese side.
The Indian side later retaliated, resulting in heavy casualties to PLA troops.
The clash went on for over three hours.
Releasing a second statement on Tuesday evening, the Indian Army said, “Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of June 15/16 2020.”
The officer killed in the clash was identified as Colonel Santosh Babu, Commanding Officer of the 16 Bihar Regiment, and a native of Telangana.
The other soldiers identified were Havaldar K Palani and Sepoy Kundan Ojha from Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand respectively.
While no official statement has come from China on the number of casualties, Indian intercepts have estimated roughly 43 casualties on the other side.
Chinese troops suffered 43 casualties during the face-off with the Indian Army at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley region of Eastern Ladakh, say sources.
Indian intel agencies are looking carefully at audio intercepts, visuals, survivor reports to assess casualties on the Chinese side. Preliminary reports indicate heavy fatalities according to the Indian government briefing.
“Indian intercepts reveal that the Chinese side suffered 43 casualties including dead and seriously injured in a faceoff in the Galwan Valley,” said sources.
India doesn’t expect China to own up to because of its track record of hiding deaths.
Releasing a second statement on Tuesday evening, the Indian Army said, “Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of June 15/16 2020.”
In a statement, the External Affairs Ministry said the violent face-off was the result of an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo in the region and that both sides suffered casualties that could have been avoided if the agreement arrived earlier was scrupulously followed by the Chinese side.
“Given its responsible approach to border management, India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control. We expect the same of the Chinese side,” MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in the evening where he carried out a comprehensive review of the situation in eastern Ladakh where the two armies have been in a standoff for over five weeks.
It is understood that India decided to continue with a firm approach in dealing with China’s aggressive behaviour along the nearly 3,500 km de facto border.
The meeting came after Rajnath Singh briefed the PM via phone earlier in the day. Rajnath Singh also held a separate meeting with S Jaishankar, Army chief Gen MM Naravane and Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat.
China’s official media on Tuesday quoted the Chinese military as claiming that it “always” owned sovereignty over the Galwan Valley region and alleged that “provocative attacks’ launched by the Indian troops resulted in “severe clashes and casualties.”
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry officials were silent on the casualties suffered by the PLA troops, but Hu Xijin, the editor of the ruling Communist Party-run Global Times tabloid, tweeted to say that there are casualties on Chinese side too.
In its reaction, China alleged that the Indian troops twice crossed the de-facto border on June 15 for “illegal activities and provoked and attacked Chinese personnel” which led to serious physical conflict.