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Violent faceoff on China border: One officer, two Indian soldiers dead; casualties on both sides

India-China violent faceoff: “During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night (Monday night) with casualties on both sides,” the Army said in an official statement.

“The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers,” it added. The statement also said that “senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation”.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Tuesday reviewed the current operational situation in Eastern Ladakh, following Monday’s violent faceoff on the LAC, along with the Chief of Defence Staff and the three service Chiefs. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was also present during the meeting.

Tensions between the two armies have been running high on the border since reports of a scuffle between the soldiers of both sides at Pangong Tso (eastern Ladakh) and Naku la (in Sikkim) came in early last month. Both the armies have since mobilized and deployed a large number of soldiers and heavy military equipment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The last deaths on the India-China border were in 1975 when an Indian patrol was ambushed by the Chinese soldiers on the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh. A violent clash between the two sides on the border had taken place at Nathu La in 1967.

China points fingers at India, urges restraint

China urged India to “strictly restrain its frontline troops from crossing the border or taking any unilateral action that may complicate the border situation.”

After India said that it has lost one Army officer and two soldiers, Beijing on Tuesday accused India of “crossing the border” and “attacking Chinese personnel”, news agencies reported.

It also urged India to “strictly restrain its frontline troops from crossing the border or taking any unilateral action that may complicate the border situation.”

AFP news agency reported that “Beijing accuses India of crossing border, ‘attacking Chinese personnel’”.
Reuters India also tweeted, “China foreign ministry, asked about Indian army reporting casualties in clash with China, says calls on India to not take unilateral actions or stir up trouble.”
China’s state-run Global Times tweeted, quoting Chinese Foreign ministry, “#Indian troops on Monday seriously violated the 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 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,” the Global Times reported.

It also said that China and Indian side agreed to resolve the bilateral issues through dialogue to ease the border situation and maintain peace and tranquility in border areas.

This is the first combat casualty on the India-China border after 45 years, where the Army has lost one officer and two soldiers in a violent faceoff in the Galwan Valley last night.