As Armed forces move into strike positions, The Prime Minister of India – Narendra Modi , i.e., assured the nation that the sacrifice of Indian Army troops during the violent face-off with Chinese troops will not go in vain.
An Indian Army Colonel and 20 Jawans have been martyred in the Galwan Valley of Ladakh on Monday night, i.e., June 15, 2020.
Addressing a virtual meeting with Chief Ministers of 15 States and Union Territories (U.T.s), Modi said, “I would like to assure the nation that the sacrifice of our jawans will not be in vain. India wants peace but it is capable to give a befitting reply if instigated.”
Also present in the virtual meeting was the Home Minister of India – Amit Shah. They also observed a 2-minute silence as a tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives during the Galwan Valley clash.
Modi further said, “No one should be in any doubt. India wants peace but when provoked, it is capable of giving a fitting reply, be it any situation.”
PM added that while India never provokes anyone, it will also not compromise on the nation’s integrity and sovereignty.
The Chinese position on the matter seem to be keen to playing down the incident before a key meeting with US as per South China Morning Post. China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi is due to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Hawaii on Wednesday – and chances are that the incident will find mention in conjunction with escalating Sino-Taiwanese tensions
Meanwhile, the situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remains tense. Satellite images taken less than 24 hours after the clash show that despite being massively outnumbered, the Indian side is still holding its ground in the area. PM has also called an all-party meeting on Friday, June 19, 2020 to discuss the situation at the India-China border after the Ladakh clash.
Saluting the valour of our soldiers, the Defence Minister of India – Rajnath Singh tweeted, “The loss of soldiers in Galwan is deeply disturbing and painful. Our soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.”
He further tweeted, “The Nation will never forget their bravery and sacrifice. My heart goes out to the families of the fallen soldiers. The nation stand shoulder to shoulder with them in this difficult hour. We are proud of the bravery and courage of India’s breavehearts.”
In order to de-escalate the rising tension, the Minister of External Affairs of India – Dr. S. Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with the Foreign Minister of People’s Republic of China – Wang Yi today. During the discussion, Jaishankar reminded Wang Yi of the agreement to de-escalate and disengage along the LAC, reached during the meeting between senior military commanders on June 6, 2020.
Jaishankar said, “Ground commanders were meeting regularly to implement this consensus throughout the last week. While there was some progress, the Chinese side sought to erect a structure in Galwan Valley on our side of the LAC. While this became a source of dispute, the Chinese side took pre-meditated and planned action that was directly responsible for the resulting violence and casualties. It reflected an intent to change the facts on the ground in violation of all our agreements to not change the status quo.”
During the call, China once again blamed the Indian Army for the violent face-off at the Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh. Wang Yi asked Jaishankar to punish the soldiers behind the clash.
In an official statement of the Chinese Government, Wang Yi said, “On the evening of June 15, the Indian front-line border forces openly broke the consensus reached at the military-level meeting between the two sides. Once the situation in the Galwan Valley had slowed down, they crossed the actual control line again and deliberately provoked violence, attacking the officers and soldiers who negotiated with the Chinese side led to fierce physical clashes, resulting in casualties.”
As per a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs of India, both India and China agreed that the overall situation should be handled in a responsible manner, and both sides should implement the disengagement understanding sincerely.
