Army chief awards commendations to troops who fought in Galwan Valley

NEW DELHI: Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, who is in Ladakh for a security review, on Wednesday awarded commendation cards to three soldiers who were part of the outnumbered Indian squad that bravely fought off Chinese troops during a brutal brawl in Galwan Valley on June 15, an official said on Wednesday.

The clash left 20 Indian soldiers and an unconfirmed number of Chinese troops dead.

Among the other troops who were awarded commendation cards by Naravane were two soldiers who displayed courage and resolve during a violent face-off with Chinese troops near Pangong Tso on May 5-6, the official said.

Both face-offs saw Chinese soldiers gather in large numbers and attack Indian troops with stones, iron rods and nail-studded clubs.

The army chief was briefed on the latest developments along the disputed border and the progress of military talks with China after a meeting between senior commanders on Monday at Moldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control, the official said.

The army chief is in Ladakh at a time when both armies are working out the modalities of a disengagement plan even as the Chinese army has not stopped its buildup in key strategic areas.

Naravane visited Durbuk and Chushul in eastern Ladakh and also undertook an aerial survey of areas where the army is deployed, he added. The army chief is expected to interact with more soldiers on the ground on Thursday before flying back to Delhi.

On reaching Leh on Tuesday, he was driven straight to the military hospital, where soldiers injured in the June 15 skirmish are undergoing medical treatment. This is the army chief’s second visit to Ladakh after border tensions erupted in early May. He had earlier visited Leh on May 22.