India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI, JUNE 16— Three soldiers of the Indian Army, including a Colonel, were killed in the first violent clash with the Chinese Army in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh on Monday night. Casualties occurred in the opposite camp also. High-level bilateral meetings between the two armies are on to defuse the tension.
In an official statement, the Indian Army said: “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 loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers.”
The Army also said that the two sides are engaged in defusing the tension on the border.
“Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation,” it said.
The casualties on the Chinese side were admitted by The Global Times, a media outlet considered to be the mouthpiece of the Chinese government.
“Based on what I know, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, don’t be arrogant and misread China’s restraint as being weak. China doesn’t want to have a clash with India, but we don’t fear it,” tweeted Hu Xijin, Editor-in-Chief of Global Times.
For past several weeks, reports have been coming about the Chinese incursion in the Indian territory.
The Monday night incident is said to be the first violent clash leading to casualties since 1975 between India and China. The two neighbours fought a brief border war in 1962.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reportedly held a meeting with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to discuss the situation after the violent clash.
