Released soldiers in good health

nNEW DELHI: Ten Indian soldiers released by China were debriefed by senior army officers on the over 60 hours they spent in Chinese custody, officials familiar with the developments said on Friday. Intense negotiations through diplomatic and military channels, including three rounds of talks between senior army officers, led to the release of the soldiers detained by the Chinese side after a violent brawl on June 15 in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley.

The debriefing was conducted at Leh, the headquarters of the Army’s 14 Corps, said one of the officials cited above. The negotiations for their release were kept under wraps due to concerns over their safety amid tensions between the two sides, said the first official cited above.

There was no official word on the development.

The release of the 10 soldiers figured in three rounds of talks between Indian and Chinese delegations, led by major generals, near Patrol Point 14 in the Galway Valley between Tuesday and Thursday. Major General Abhijit Bapat, commander of Karubased 3 Infantry Division, and his Chinese counterpart met for the third time on Thursday.

The 10 soldiers were medically examined and found to be in good health, the officials said.

BEIJING: A day after India rejected the Chinese army’s claim of sovereignty over the Galwan Valley and asked Beijing to confine its activities to its side of the LAC, China’s foreign ministry on Friday claimed the particular region was on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control. India has dismissed such claims in past as contrary to the understanding reached during a military dialogue on June 6.