Indian troops killed in hand-to-hand clashes
34 more troops missing after fist fights on disputed border as China accuses India of provoking incident
TWENTY Indian soldiers were killed in violent hand-to-hand clashes with Chinese troops on the disputed border in the Himalayas late on Monday as the threat of a full-blown war flared.
The soldiers died after intense fighting in the Galwan Valley, in Ladakh, where there has been a tense stand-off for more than a month. The Indian army confirmed the death toll last night after initially saying only three had died, including a colonel.
India blamed China for starting the fights, which were the first at the disputed border in 45 years.
Senior Indian Army sources told The Daily Telegraph that 34 of their soldiers were missing.
A Twitter post from a senior reporter at the pro-beijing Global Times in China suggested five of its troops had been killed, and 11 injured. But the figures were unconfirmed.
Hu Xijin, the paper’s editor, posted: “Based on what I know, 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.”
These are the first casualties suffered by either Asian superpower in the dispute over the 2,200-mile (3,488km) border since 1975. According to Indian sources, no shots were fired, with the clashes involving stones and batons.
Thousands of troops have been involved in a stand-off for more than a month. Neither side carries weapons, to avoid fatalities and to avert a diplomatic escalation of tensions along the so-called Line of Actual Control.
The Telegraph last week revealed that 12,000 Chinese troops had occupied 23 square miles of Ladakh. The aim was to slap down Narendra Modi,
the Indian prime minister, in response to his ever-closer relationship with the United States.
Chinese forces were able to cross the border and annexe unprotected territory after India failed to recommence patrols due to coronavirus. They breached the Line of Actual Control on May 5 and 6 to occupy Indian territory at four locations – Pangong Tso, Galwan River, Demchok and Hot Springs.
The Indian foreign ministry last night blamed China for the fatalities. It said: “The Chinese side departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control in the Galwan Valley.
“A violent face-off happened as a result of an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo there. Both sides suffered casualties that could have been avoided had the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese.”
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said its troops acted in self-defence after two Indian soldiers crossed into Chinese territory on Monday “provoking and attacking Chinese personnel, resulting in serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides”.
A former Indian Army officer told The Telegraph the contrasting statements meant it was difficult to apportion blame. He added: “How these soldiers have been killed we have no idea because there are contradicting statements. However, we can say the aggressive tone suggests China won’t retreat and defensive tone means India doesn’t want any escalation.”
The Indian Army said talks between the two sides were under way.
India and China fought the Sino-india war and agreed a ceasefire in 1962, establishing the Line of Actual Control separating Indian-controlled Ladakh from Chinese-controlled Tibet.