Surveillance post by China on Indian side triggered clash
Chinese suffered 35 casualties: US Intl
NEW DELHI, June 17: In his first remarks on the violent face-off between the troops of India and China in Ladakh’s Galwan valley, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India wants peace but is capable of giving befitting reply if instigated, and asserted that the sacrifice of our army men will not go in vain.
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In his opening remarks on day two of the virtual conference with Chief Ministers on the Coronavirus crisis, Modi said India would not “compromise with its integrity and sovereignty” and will firmly defend its self-respect and every inch of land.
Modi’s remarks came two days after the fierce clash between the troops of India and China in which at least 20 Indian Army personnel, including a Colonel, were killed in the Galwan valley in Eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades between the two countries.
“India is culturally a peace-loving country…We have always worked closely with our neighbours in a cooperative and friendly manner. Always wished for their development and welfare. We never provoke anyone, but we also do not compromise with the integrity and sovereignty of our country. Whenever the time has come, we have demonstrated our power, proving our capabilities in protecting the integrity and sovereignty of the country,” he said.
Expressing condolences to the families of those killed in the face-off, the Prime Minister said the brave sons of the country have made the supreme sacrifice while protecting our motherland in Galwan valley.
“Today the whole country is with you. This sacrifice of our martyrs will not go in vain. Whatever be the situation, India will firmly defend the country’s self-respect, every inch of land,” he said. The Prime Minister also asked those participating the virtual interaction to observe two minute silence as a mark of respect for the slain soldiers.
Modi noted that India has always tried not to allow differences to become disputes, but said, “India’s integrity and sovereignty is supreme for us, and no one can stop us from protecting it. Nobody should have any confusion or doubt about this.”
Meanwhile, Modi has convened an all-party virtual meet on Friday to discuss the situation along the India-China border, his office said today.
“In order to discuss the situation in the India-China border areas, Prime Minister @narendramodi has called for an all-party meeting at 5 PM on 19th June. Presidents of various political parties would take part in this virtual meeting,” the PMO tweeted.
In a strong message, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that the unprecedented incident in Galwan valley will have a serious impact on the bilateral relationship and asked China to take corrective steps.
Jaishankar and Wang held a telephonic conversation in the wake of Monday night’s violent clash between the two armies in Galwan valley in which 20 Indian Army personnel including a Colonel were killed.
“The External Affairs Minister conveyed the protest of the Government of India in the strongest terms on the violent face-off in Galwan valley on June 15,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
It said Jaishankar referred to a meeting between senior military commanders of the two sides on June 6 where an agreement was reached on de-escalation and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Jaishankar conveyed to Wang that while there was some progress on the situation, the Chinese side sought to erect a structure in Galwan valley on the Indian side of the LAC.
“While this became a source of dispute, the Chinese side took pre-meditated and planned action that was directly responsible for the resulting violence and casualties,” the MEA said giving details of the conversation.
Jaishankar conveyed that it reflected an intent to change the facts on ground in violation of all the agreements to not change the status quo.
“The External Affairs Minister underlined that this unprecedented development will have a serious impact on the bilateral relationship. The need of the hour was for the Chinese side to reassess its actions and take corrective steps,” the MEA said.
“The two sides should scrupulously and sincerely implement the understanding that was reached by the Senior Commanders on June 6,” it said.
“Troops of both sides should also abide by the bilateral agreements and protocols. They should strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control and should not take any unilateral action to alter it,” the MEA said.
In the talks, it was agreed that the overall situation would be handled in a responsible manner, and both sides would implement the disengagement understanding of June 6 sincerely, the MEA said.
The loss of soldiers in Galwan valley is deeply disturbing and painful, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today paying glowing tributes to the Army personnel who were killed in a violent clash with the Chinese army.
In a series of tweets, Singh said Indian soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.
“The Nation will never forget their bravery and sacrifice. My heart goes out to the families of the fallen soldiers. The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with them in this difficult hour. We are proud of the bravery and courage of India’s bravehearts,” he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said India will always remain indebted to its soldiers who lost their lives in Ladakh’s Galwan protecting the country’s territory, and their bravery reflects the country’s commitment towards the motherland.
In a series of tweets, Shah said the pain of losing the brave soldiers at Ladakh’s Galwan valley cannot be put in words.
“India will always remain indebted for their supreme sacrifice. Entire nation and Modi government stands firmly with their families in this hour of grief. Praying for the speedy recovery of those injured,” he said.
The Home Minister said the nation salutes the immortal heroes who sacrificed their lives to keep Indian territory safe and secure.
“Their bravery reflects India’s commitment towards her land,” he said, adding, “I bow to the families who have blessed Indian Army with such great heroes”.
Twenty Indian soldiers, including a Colonel, were martyred on Monday evening in a clash with Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh’s Galwan valley.
Meanwhile, a surveillance post set up by the Chinese Army on a narrow mountain trail in violation of an agreement was the trigger for the high altitude border clash in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan valley in which at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed, people familiar with the matter said today.
Indian troops, commanded by the late Col B Santosh Babu, strongly objected to the post on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the southern banks of the Galwan river and attempted to remove it on Monday evening, sources in the know said, recapping the events leading to the biggest military confrontation between the two neighbours in five decades.
A small group of Chinese personnel present at the camp reacted angrily to the objections of the Indian Army’s patrolling team but soon retreated to the Chinese side of the LAC. They returned shortly after with more troops, wearing protective gear and armed with stones, nail-studded sticks, iron rods and clubs, and confronted the Indian personnel.
At that point, the Indian soldiers had also been joined by additional troops and were attempting to remove the temporary structure, those familiar with the matter said.
The clash that followed went on for several hours on the vertiginous heights of eastern Ladakh with Chinese soldiers brutally attacking the Indians, they said.
One portion of the road caved in following which some Indian and Chinese soldiers fell into the Galwan river, they said. The LAC goes over the Galwan river in the area.
Babu and 19 other Indian Army personnel were martyred in the fight on the steep heights.
It is learnt that initially a number of Indians were captured by the Chinese side but were released later.
The Indian side also retaliated strongly, but the casualties on the Chinese side are not yet known. However, government sources, citing an American intelligence report, claimed the total number of soldiers killed and seriously wounded could be 35.
The broad decision to disengage at Galwan Valley was taken at talks between Lt Gen Harinder Singh, general officer commanding of the Leh-based 14 Corps, and Commander of the Tibet Military District, Maj Gen Liu Lin, on June 6.
The meeting was followed by two rounds of major general-level talks, the sources said.
The final modalities for disengagement were drawn up at a major general-level meeting on Friday under which both sides were to retreat for at least two kilometers from their existing position in Galwan valley.
The following day, on Saturday, Indian Army Chief Gen M M Naravane said in Dehradun that both armies are “disengaging” in a phased manner beginning from Galwan Valley and the situation in the region is under control.
The Chinese army suffered 35 casualties during the violent clash with the Indian military in Eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley, official sources said on Wednesday quoting US intelligence reports. The figure could be a combination of total number of soldiers killed and seriously wounded, they added.
There were 35 casualties on the Chinese side, the sources said citing US intelligence reports.
China has not yet talked about the number of casualties suffered by the People’s Liberation Army during the clash.(PTI)
List of Martyrs
S.No. Service No. Rank & Name Hometown
1. IC-64405M Col Bikumalla Santosh Babu Hyderabad
2. JC-561645S Nb Sub Nuduram Soren Mayurbhanj
3. JC-280111M Nb Sub Mandeep Singh Patiala
4. JC-287210X Nb Sub (Dvr) Satnam Singh Gurdaspur
5. No 15139118Y Hav (Gnr) K Palani Madurai
6. No 4282958N Hav Sunil Kumar Patna
7. No 15681879N Hav Bipul Roy Meerut City
8. No 15439373K NK (NA) Deepak Kumar Rewa
9. No 4295670M Sep Rajesh Orang Birghum
10. No 4292344Y Sep Kundan Kumar Ojha Sahibganj
11. No 4290532 Sep Ganesh Ram Kanker
12. No 4294060N Sep Chandrakanta Pradhan Kandhamal
13. No 2516847N Sep Ankush Hamirpur
14. No 2514989F Sep Gurbinder Sangrur
15. No 2516683X Sep Gurtej Singh Mansa
16. No 4296728L Sep Chandan Kumar Bhojpur
17. No 4292067Y Sep Kundan Kumar Saharsa
18. No 4294713K Sep Aman Kumar Samstipur
19. No 4297756K Sep Jai Kishor Singh Vaishali
20. No 4298139N Sep Ganesh Hansda East Singhbhum
Maj Gen-Level talks inconclusive
The military talks at Major General-level between India and China in Galwan valley of Eastern Ladakh ended inconclusively, sources in the Army said today.
“The talks have remained inconclusive as there is no immediate disengagement or change in the ground,” sources said.(PTI)
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