20 Indian, 43 Chinese soldiers killed in Ladakh's Galwan valley clash

A 'violent face-off' between Indian and Chinese soldiers along the border led to twenty casualties (an officer and nineteen soldiers) on the Indian side, said a statement issued by the Indian army. On the other hand, the Chinese side has reported 43 casualties according to the ANI.

Quoting Indian defence experts, a CNN report said the deaths on Monday are the first such casualties in over four decades. The Indian army claimed that 'no shots were fired' in the latest clash.

According to the CNN report, the incident took place during a 'de-escalation process' in the Galwan Valley in the Aksai Chin-Ladakh area, where the two sides are mobilising troops over some weeks. Both troops had started disengagement recently as senior military commanders from both sides started talks.

The statement released by the Indian Army claimed that “both sides” suffered casualties. However, it did not mention the number of Chinese casualties.

China did not confirm any casualties but accused India of crossing the border in the Galwan Valley. Senior military officials from both sides were holding a meet to calm down tension.

_{(Clockwise from left) Colonel Santosh Babu, Sepoy Ojha and Havildar Palani, were the first casualties of the clash with Chinese troops in Ladakh. (PTI Photo)} 

 The BBC quoted Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian alleging that India crossed the border twice on Monday, “provoking and attacking Chinese personnel, resulting in a serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides.”

Local media said the Indian soldiers were “beaten to death”. However, the Indian side did not confirm it.

According to India, China was mobilising troops into the valley and was occupying its 38,000sq km territory. The boundary disputes have remained unresolved for decades. Many Indian and Chinese soldiers came to blows in Sikkim. The two armies had clashed in the region in 2017 after China extended a road.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday had a meeting with senior Indian military officers. He “reviewed the current operational situation in Eastern Ladakh” with the Chief of Defence Staff, and the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, said the Indian army. Indian External Affairs Minister was also present.

CNN quoted the Zhao saying, “China has lodged strong protest and representation with the India side, and we once again we solemnly ask the India side to follow our consensus and strictly regulate its front line troops and do not cross the line and do not stir up troubles or take unilateral moves that may complicate matters.

“We have not had casualties on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for at least 45 years,” said associate professor and political analyst Happymon Jacob at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. “This is perhaps a game-changer. This is perhaps the beginning of the end of the rapport that India has enjoyed with China for 45 years,” he added.

Former Indian Chief of Army Staff, General Bikram Singh wrote for CNN recently. He said the reason behind the issue is the ill-defined LAC.

"At strategic and operational levels, both militaries have exercised restraint," he said. "However, at the tactical level, face-offs occur due to differing perceptions of where the actual border is as the LAC is not delineated on the ground. While face-offs get resolved locally, those related to the building of infrastructures, such as roads and defence fortifications, invariably take longer and require a combination of military and diplomatic initiatives."

Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin said on Twitter: “Based on what I know, the 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.” China’s official state newspaper People’s Daily publishes Global Times.

China-based independent think tank Chengdu Institute of World Affairs president Long Xingchun said the violent clash could stall talks.

“These are the first casualties happening during a border conflict between China and India in decades, and it could arouse extreme nationalistic voices inside India that push its government to adopt a hawkish stance against China,” he said. “If India really did so, it would lead to an even more intensified situation that could result in more casualties.”

Mumbai-based international security studies academic and China-watcher at Gateway House Sameer Patil said, “If the violence was not intentional, then the two leaderships will want to defuse it. If it was intentional, then the Indian leadership will have to decide which lever it wants to exploit.”

A foreign-policy analyst said, “The problem is, India has set a precedence of avenging the deaths of its soldiers in the last few years, by launching surgical strikes and airstrikes against Pakistan. It will be difficult for Modi to explain why he does not choose to do the same with China.”