LIVE: 20 Indian soldiers killed on LAC; 43 Chinese casualties, reports ANI

Indian Army officer and two soldiers killed in Ladakh's Galwan Valley on Monday night during "violent face off" with Chinese: Army

A commanding officer of an army unit and two soldiers died in a violent face-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers at Galwan Valley, one of the four standoff points in the eastern Ladakh sector, a defence ministry statement said today. The Chinese side also suffered casualties during the face-off with Indian troops in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh on Monday night, ANI reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a fresh round of consultations with chief ministers on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss ways for checking the spread of the virus.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 hit Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said, the third to hit the union territory in three days.

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2:11 AM

Alert in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur border districts

Following the violent face-off in Galwan valley in Ladakh between Indian troops and Chinese People's Liberation Army forces, Himachal Pradesh has been put on alert.
 

An alert has been issued to the districts of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, which border China, to ensure the security of the local population and to collect intelligence to plan the future course of action, said police.
 

All State intelligence units have also been alerted in this regard, State police spokesperson Khushal Sharma said.
 

"In view of the recent face-off between PLA of China and Indian Army in Ladakh sector, an alert and an advisory have been issued to the districts of Kinnaur and Lahul-Spiti to take all precautionary measures to ensure the security of the local population and also to collect intelligence so as to plan future of course of action," said Superintendent of Police, Khushal Sharma.

1:51 AM

20 Indian soldiers killed in face-off with China

In a steep escalation of the ongoing Sino-Indian border face-off in eastern Ladakh, soldiers of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) attacked and killed 20 Indian soldiers, including a colonel, on Monday night.

 

This is the first deadly clash on the 3,488-kilometre disputed border since four Assam Rifles jawans were ambushed and killed by Chinese border guards in October 1975.

12:30 AM

Deeply anguished and pained: Sonia Gandhi on killing of soldiers in border clash

10:41 PM

Indian Army statement

Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020.

17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20.
 

Indian Army is firmly committed to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation: Indian Army Statement

10:32 PM

At least 20 Army soldiers killed in face-off in Galwan Valley

10:00 PM

9:53 PM

At least 10 Indian Army personnel killed in violent face-off in Ladakh's Galwan Valley: Government sources

8:59 PM

India-China border tiff LIVE: Rahul Gandhi condoles deaths of soldiers in LAC clash

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi offered condolences to the families of three Indian soldiers who were killed in a violent face-off with Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan valley.

 

"Words cannot describe the pain I feel for the officers and men who sacrificed their lives for our country," tweeted Gandhi. "My condolences to all their loved ones. We stand with you in this difficult time," he said.

 

The Congress on Tuesday issued a statement after reports of killing of three Indian soldiers by Chinese troops, alleging that the Modi government remained a "mute spectator" on Chinese transgressions at three points in Ladakh since April-May, 2020.

 

"Congress party remains firm that the entire country stands as one to protect India's National Security and our Territorial Integrity at all costs. Let Modi government remember that in our Parliamentary democracy, secrecy or silence is unacceptable on part of our government," said the statement.

8:44 PM

Violent face-off in Ladakh result of China's attempt to unilaterally change status quo in region: MEA

India on Tuesday said the violent face-off between the armies of India and China in eastern Ladakh was the result of an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo in the region. The Ministry of External Affairs said both sides suffered casualties that could have been avoided had the agreement arrived at earlier at the higher level been 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 LAC. We expect the same of the Chinese side," MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.

 

An Indian Army colonel and two soldiers were killed during a violent clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley on Monday night, the first such incident involving fatalities after a gap of 45 years.

 

"We remain firmly convinced of the need for the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and the resolution of differences through dialogue," Srivastava said. "At the same time, we are also strongly committed to ensuring India's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he added.

8:37 PM

India's borders will remain intact under Modi's leadership: BJP chief Nadda

BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda on Tuesday asserted that the borders of India will remain intact under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

Addressing the 'Kerala Jan-Samvad' virtual rally, he referred to the India-China face-offs at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh and said during the de-escalation process a violent clash took place with Chinese Army on Monday night.

 

"Indian Army gave a befitting reply, but unfortunately, we have lost our three army men. I pay homage to them for their sacrifice and I can assure you that under the leadership of PM Modi, Indias territorial integrity will not be compromised," he said. "We now have the political will and our Army is fully equipped to take any adverse (sic)," he said.

8:32 PM

India-China border tiff LIVE: Rajnath Singh holds second review meeting over developments in eastern Ladakh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday held two review meetings over developments in eastern Ladakh.

 

A meeting was held at the residence of Defence Minister in the evening which was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane. The minister held a meeting earlier in the day in which the CDS, External Affairs Minister and three service chiefs were present.

 

During the ongoing de-escalation process, a violent face-off took place between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in which an Army officer and two soldiers lost their lives. The face-off took place on Monday night, leading to "casualties on both sides," the Army said in a statement.

 

"The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers," the statement said.

 

Senior military officials of the two sides held a meeting to defuse the situation. This is the first violent incident near the LAC since 1975 in which casualties have taken place.

8:22 PM

Borders of India will remain intact under the leadership of PM Modi: BJP President J P Nadda

8:10 PM

India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the LAC: MEA

8:08 PM

China's Vice Foreign Minister, Luo Zhaohui and Indian Ambassador to China, Vikram Misri meet in Beijing: ANI

8:02 PM

Defence Minister holds back-to-back meetings with military brass over Ladakh situation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held two-back-to-back meetings with top military brass on Tuesday deliberating on the situation in eastern Ladakh after an Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed in a violent clash with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley.

 

Singh also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the killing of the three Indian Army personnel during Monday night's clash as well as on the overall situation in the region, government sources said.

 

The colonel and the two soldiers were killed in the violent face-off with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley where the two sides have been on a bitter standoff for over five weeks.

 

The Indian Army said there have been casualties on the Chinese side as well.

 

The killing of the Indian Army personnel is the first such incident involving fatalities after a gap of 45 years. Four Indian soldiers were killed in an ambush at Tulung La in Arunachal Pradesh along the de-facto border between the two countries in 1975.

 

The first meeting Singh held was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs, and it carried out a comprehensive review of the ground situation in eastern Ladakh as well as deliberated on India's preparedness to deal with any eventualities, the sources said.

 

It is learnt that the government decided to further ramp up India's military strength in areas like Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh. After the nearly one-hour meeting, Singh gave a briefing to Prime Minister Modi on the overall situation, they said.

 

In the late afternoon, the defence minister held another meeting with Jaishankar, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane and Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat. The sources said Gen Naravane presented a detailed report to the defence minister covering various finer details of Monday night's clash in Galwan which continued for several hours, PTI reported.

 

The Indian and Chinese armies are engaged in the standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh. A sizeable number of Chinese Army personnel even transgressed into the Indian side of the de-facto border in several areas including Pangong Tso. The Indian Army has been fiercely objecting to the transgressions, and demanded their immediate withdrawal for restoration of peace and tranquillity in the area. Both sides held a series of talks in the last few days to resolve the row.

 

In their first serious efforts to end the row, Lt General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding of the Leh-based 14 Corps, and Commander of the Tibet Military District Maj Gen Liu Lin held a nearly seven-hour meeting on June 6. The meeting was followed by two rounds of Major General-level talks.

 

The Indian side has been pitching for restoration of status quo ante and immediate withdrawal of thousands of Chinese troops from the areas which India considers on its side of the LAC.