Ladakh face-off LIVE: China's claim over Galwan Valley untenable, says MEA

Twenty Indian soldiers died in a violent clash with Chinese People's Liberation Army troops at Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh on Monday night. Catch latest updates

11:00 PM

Indian forces will give befitting reply: MoS Defence, S Naik

10:28 PM

18 soldiers injured in Galwan clash undergoing treatment

Eighteen Army personnel sustained injuries during the violent clash with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley on Monday night and they are undergoing treatment at a military hospital, people familiar with the matter said.

 

Out of 18, four personnel were critically injured but they are responding to treatment and are stable now, they said.

 

Twenty Indian Army personnel including a Colonel were killed in the fierce clash in Galwan. The Chinese side also suffered casualties. China has not yet talked about the number of casualties suffered by the People's Liberation Army.

10:27 PM

Indian Army bids adieu to Col Santosh Babu

The Indian Army paid its last respects to Colonel Bikumalla Santosh Babu the brave son of Telangana who made the supreme sacrifice of his life in service to the Nation.

 

The mortal remains of the officer were received at Hakimpet Air Force Station on Wednesday by senior government officials and Military personnel of Headquarters Telangana and Andhra Sub Area with full military honours befitting a soldier, an official release said.

 

Colonel B Santosh Babu, an alumni of Sainik School Korukonda and National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, got commissioned into the Bihar Regiment from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and went on to complete the Defence Service Staff Course from Wellington before taking over the command of his Battalion, according to the release.

9:38 PM

Rajnath Singh meets PM Modi

9:38 PM

Lt Guv pays tribute to soldiers killed in clashes

Lt Governor of Ladakh R K Mathur on Wednesday took part in the wreath-laying ceremony for three of the 20 army personnel who lost their lives in a violent clash with the Chinese army in Galwan Valley and said their sacrifice will not go waste.

 

Twenty Indian Army personnel including a colonel were killed in the clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff between the two countries.

 

"The sacrifice will not go waste; rather it will strengthen the resolve of Ladakhis and the entire country to protect our border," Mathur said after paying tributes to the fallen soldiers.

9:20 PM

Colonel Santosh Babu's mortal remains arrive in Hyderabad

The mortal remains of Colonel B Santosh Babu, who was martyred in a violent clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh, arrived here by a special aircraft on Wednesday. The aircraft landed at Air Force Station Hakimpet at around 8 PM.Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan andstate IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao were among those who paid their last respects.

9:04 PM

Talks between India and China remained inconclusive: ANI

9:01 PM

Oppo cancels live online phone launch in India amid calls to boycott Chinese goods

China's Oppo cancelled the live online launch of its flagship smartphone in India on Wednesday after a border clash between the two countries that has renewed calls from local Indian trader groups to shun Chinese products.

 

Soldiers from India and China fought each other with nail-studded clubs and stones on a disputed Himalayan mountain frontier this week, leading to the death of 20 Indian soldiers in the worst clash since 1967. The clashes risk souring sentiment for big Chinese investors who were eyeing the Indian market and already faced pressure as anti-China sentiment festered during the coronavirus outbreak.

 

Chinese firms such as Great Wall, SAIC and Bytedance have placed major bets on India, where investors like Alibaba also fund many startups. Chinese smartphone brands, including Oppo and Xiaomi, account for eight of every 10 smartphones sold in India. Oppo, which has a phone-assembly plant in India, had earlier announced a "live unveiling" of its new Find X2 smartphone models would be held on Wednesday, but a YouTube link that had to go live at 4 p.m. local time was not available for viewing.

 

To launch the phone, the company instead uploaded a 20-minute, pre-recorded video which included a brief highlight of Oppo's efforts to support Indian authorities in preventing the spread of coronavirus.

 

Oppo did not respond to Reuters' request on why the live launch was cancelled, but a person familiar with the company's thinking said the decision was taken to avoid any possible uproar on social media.

8:59 PM

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh announces relief, job for kin of soldiers killed in Galwan clash

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced compensation and a job to the next of kin of each of the four soldiers from the state killed in a violent face-off with the Chinese army in Ladakh. At least 20 Indian Army personnel were killed in the clash on Monday night.

 

The Punjab CM also extended his heartfelt condolences to families of the soldiers--Naib Subedar Satnam Singh (Gurdaspur), Naib Subedar Mandeep Singh (Patiala), Sepoy Gurbinder Singh (Sangrur) and Sepoy Gurtej Singh (Mansa).

 

The loss suffered by the families is immeasurable and cannot be compensated with material things but the compensation and the jobs will help alleviate some of their sufferings, said Singh in a press release, paying his tributes to the four men. The CM said cabinet ministers will represent the state government at their funerals, which will be held with full Army honours at their native places.

 

He directed respective district administrations to make all arrangements, befitting the occasion and for receiving the bodies of the fallen soldiers. While one family member each will be given a government job in all four cases, families of Naib Subedar Mandeep Singh and Naib Subedar Santnam Singh will be given a relief of Rs 12 lakh each in line with the government policy on account of their marital status.

 

The families of the two unmarried soldiers, Sepoy Gurtej Singh and Sepoy Gurbinder Singh, will be given Rs 10 lakh each as compensation (Rs 5 lakh as ex-gratia and Rs 5 lakh in lieu of land).

8:47 PM

Chinese nationals in India fear backlash, anxious over anti-China sentiments

The border clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Ladakh broke the brittle quiet and also the sense of security for anxious Chinese nationals in India who fear a backlash with anti-Chinese sentiment spiralling in the country.

 

On Wednesday, a day after news of the high altitude violent face-off in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley and amid rising talk of boycotting Chinese goods on WhatsApp and other social media, the undercurrent of tension was evident. Wary of being identified, some said they had been reassured by their friends but were still apprehensive for themselves and their families.

 

Adding to their anxiety was news of protests. A group of ex-armymen gathered near the Chinese embassy to protestthe killing of 20 Indian Army personnel in Ladakh's Galwan Valley. And another group of around 10 protesters belonging to the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch protested near the Teen Murti roundabout in Central Delhi.

 

"They (Chinese families) don't want to speak to the media. They are not going out and are worried about their security and well being. Their families are also worried back home," Mohammed Saqib, secretary general of the India China Economic & Cultural Council, told PTI.

 

He added that Chinese nationals who are friends with him have been calling him since news of the conflict the worst military confrontation in five decades -- and expressed concern over growing anti-China sentiments.

8:43 PM

Ladakh face-off LIVE: Anger against China spills on to streets in Gujarat

The death of 20 Indian soldiers along the LAC in Ladakh on Wednesday triggered protests across Gujarat with people breaking China-made electronic gadgets and calling for boycott of Chinese products. Twenty Indian Army personnel, including a colonel, were killed in a fierce clash with the Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night. It is the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff in the region.

 

People took to the streets in Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat cities and set fire to the Chinese flag and photos of the neighbouring country's President Xi Jinping. Protesters urged the Modi government to ensure that martyrdom of the soldiers in the Galwan Valley did not go in vain.

 

In Surat, residents of a housing society unanimously decided to boycott Chinese products and also broke a China- made LCD TV in front of media persons to express their protest against the neighbouring country.

 

"We hereby boycott all Chinese products" - read a notice board at the Panchratna Garden Society in Varachha area of the diamond city. "It's time we teach China a lesson. We all have decided not to use Chinese products from now on, whether it is TV, mobile phone or any other electronic item. "We urge countrymen to follow the suit," said Gopal Sharma, a resident of the society.

8:33 PM

Pakistan violated ceasefire in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir today. Indian Army is retaliating

8:22 PM

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announces ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh for families of martyred soldiers in Galwan Valley clashes

8:20 PM

LAC LIVE: Russia hopes China, India will resolve border conflict themselves

Russia on Wednesday said it is concerned over a fierce clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh, but believes that both of its close allies can resolve the conflict themselves. Twenty Indian Army personnel, including a Colonel, were killed in the clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley on Monday night, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff between the two countries.

 

"Certainly, we are watching with great attention what is happening on the Chinese-Indian border. We believe that this is a very alarming report," Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "But we consider that the two countries are capable of taking necessary steps to prevent such situations in the future and to ensure that there is predictability and stability in the region and that this is a safe region for nations, first of all, China and India," Russian news agency Tass quoted Peskov as saying.

 

The Kremlin spokesman emphasised that China and India are Russia's close partners and allies, and "have very close and mutually beneficial relations (with Russia) built on mutual respect."

 

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia welcomed contacts between the two nations to de-escalate the situation.

8:17 PM

Foreign ministers of Russia, India and China are scheduled to meet via video conference on June 23