India-China Tension Live Updates: India Illegally Crossed Border Twice, Carried Out Provocative Attacks, Says Chinese Foreign Minister

A violent face-off between Indian and Chinese military took place along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh region on Tuesday amid the hieghtened tensions over the border dispute between the two countries.  An Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed during the face off.

They said senior military officials of the two sides are holding a meeting in Galwan Valley to defuse tension.

Read All The Live Updates Here:

4:17PM: Did India Violate Consensus With China? "Our border troops had a high-level meeting and reached important consensus on easing the border situation but astonishingly on June 15 the Indian troops seriously violated our consensus and twice crossed the border line for illegal activities and provoked and attacked Chinese personnel which led to serious physical conflict between the two sides and China has lodged strong protest and representation with the Indian side," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said.

4:02PM: The ‘talks’ between India and China did not bring home the desired results it seems, and diplomacy and military are again locked together in an impasse with our bully neighbour, who is unwilling to work on improving bilateral relationships. Once tranquil and undisturbed, Galwan valley is now rife with battle cries of passionate soldiers and is suddenly one of the hottest trending topics on social media. Read Retired Major Manik M Jolly's full article here about how China currently finds itself in a Catch-22 situation. 

3:54PM: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reacts to the death of 3 Indian army soldiers in Ladakh. 

If the Chinese shoot dead an Indian army colonel & two jawans during a “de-escalation process” imagine how escalated the situation must be in the first place. This is what happens when the media propagates the government line that asking questions is anti-national.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 16, 2020

3:47PM: JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda says the Prime Minister and Defence Minister should offer a clearer picture to the nation on the border issue with China. 

Reports coming from #GalwanValley are disturbing. Why did our soldiers lose their lives during a de-escalation process? In national interest, the PM and RM should offer a clearer picture to the nation on the border issue with the Chinese. #LADAKHSTANDOFF

— H D Devegowda (@H_D_Devegowda) June 16, 2020

3:32PM: India Should Abide By Agreement: Chinese Foreign Ministry | "China has lodged solemn representations & protests to India. Here, we are sternly demanding India to earnestly abide by the relevant agreement and strictly restrain their frontline troops. They should not cross the borderlines," says Zhao Lijian, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson. 

3:12PM: ‘Shocking, Unacceptable,' Says Cong On Death Of Indian Soliders | The Congress termed as “shocking” and “unacceptable” the death of an Indian Army officer and two soldiers in a violent face off with the Chinese troops, and asked Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to speak about the development.

Shocking,
Unbelievable
&
Unacceptable!

Will the Raksha Mantri confirm? https://t.co/kAtNuHxZVV

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) June 16, 2020

3:05PM: What Was India's Initial Approach Against China? After the standoff began early last month, the Indian military leadership decided that Indian troops will adopt a firm approach in dealing with the aggressive posturing by the Chinese troops in all disputed areas of Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie. 

2:57PM: What Triggered India-China Face-off In Ladakh? The trigger for the face-off was China's stiff opposition to India laying a key road in the Finger area around the Pangong Tso Lake besides construction of another road connecting the Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road in Galwan Valley.

2:46PM: With tensions escalating at the India-China border, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane’s planned visit to Pathankot military station has been cancelled, Army Sources told news agency ANI.

2:24PM: What Is China Saying About The Confrontation? "Both sides agreed to resolve the bilateral issues through dialogue to ease the border situation and maintain peace. Indian troops on Monday seriously violated consensus of the two sides by illegally crossing the border twice & carrying out provocative attacks on Chinese soldiers, resulting in serious physical clashes," China's Global Times quotes their Foreign Minister. 

2:15PM: What Are The Countries Doing To De-escalate? Major Generals of India and China are talking to defuse the situation in the Galwan Valley, Ladakh and other areas after the violent face-off last night in which casualties have been suffered by both sides: Army Sources

1:54PM: What Is Happening In Ladakh? The Indian and Chinese armies are engaged in a standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh.

A sizeable number of Chinese Army personnel even transgressed into the Indian side of the de-facto border in several areas including Pangong Tso.

1:47 PM: Beijing has accused India of crossing the border, and 'attacking Chinese personnel'.

1:43 PM: In a revised statement, the Indian Army said that "casualties suffered on both sides" in "violent face-off" during de-escalation process with China in Galwan Valley, Ladakh.

1:34 PM: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, the three service chiefs and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. Recent developments in Eastern Ladakh were discussed.