Twenty Indian Army soldiers were killed during a violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley on Monday night, sources have said.
While official confirmation from the Indian Army is awaited, top sources have confirmed that at least 20 soldiers died in the clash with China in Galwan Valley on Monday night.
The ministry of external affairs has said that both China and India suffered causalities as Beijing tried to unilaterally change status quo and “departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control in the Galwan Valley”.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar earlier met Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Indian Army’s standoff with Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley saw violent escalation.
Earlier, Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane met defence minister Rajnath Singh
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 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.
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 in the Galwan Valley.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held two review meetings over developments in Eastern Ladakh during the day.