Updates: "Will Never Forget Soldiers' Sacrifice," Says PM Modi

News agency ANI, quoting sources, had confirmed 43 Chinese soldiers have been killed or seriously injured because of intercepts, though the army's statement did not refer to this.

Updates: 'Will Never Forget Soldiers' Sacrifice,' Says PM Modi

India-China updates: China is reportedly upset with India's construction of roads, air strips.

New Delhi:

The sacrifices of Indian soldiers killed in a clash with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh will not go in waste, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, as he chaired a scheduled meeting with state chief ministers on the coronavirus cases. "We don't want differences to turn into disputes, we have always displayed our power in protecting the country's integrity and sovereignty," he said. PM Modi also observed two minutes silence for the soldiers before starting the meeting.

PM Modi has called an all-party meeting on Friday to discuss the situation at the India-China border after clashes in Ladakh in which 20 Indian soldiers laid down their lives. Presidents of various political parties will participate in the meeting at 5 pm on Friday via video, the Prime Minister's Office said.

The violent clashes with Chinese soldiers at Galwan valley in Ladakh has prompted the Indian Army to rethink its rules of engagement along the sensitive Line of Actual Control (LAC), people with direct knowledge of the matter told NDTV.

Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in a "violent face-off" with Chinese troops in Ladakh after they tried to "unilaterally change the status quo there", the Army said in a statement on Tuesday. A Colonel and two jawans were among the soldiers killed in the face-off at Galwan Valley in Ladakh -- the most serious escalation between the two countries along the border in five decades. Army sources have told NDTV that up to 45 Chinese soldiers have been killed or injured in the fight.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said on Tuesday the clash arose from "an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo" on the border.

The United States, which has mounting frictions with China, but sees India as an emerging ally, said it was hoping for a "peaceful resolution", and that it was monitoring the situation closely.

Here are the updates on India-China face-off In Ladakh:

Jun 17, 2020 16:42 (IST)
Ladakh Face-Off: Foreign minister S Jaishankar Speaks To China Foreign Minister On Phone
Foreign minister S Jaishankar had a telephonic convesation today with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi -- a first since Monday's violence at Galwan Valley in Ladakh in which 20 Indian soldiers died." itemprop="description
Jun 17, 2020 16:29 (IST)
Just In: Foreign Ministers Of India And China Speak On Phone After Ladakh Face-Off
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi speak over the phone two days after Ladakh face-off.
Jun 17, 2020 16:11 (IST)
India will remain indebted for supreme sacrifice: Amit Shah on soldiers killed in line of duty

Jun 17, 2020 16:01 (IST)
"Nation salutes our immortal heroes": Amit Shah on soldiers killed in action in Ladakh

Jun 17, 2020 15:52 (IST)
Congress stands with our armed forces: Sonia Gandhi
"Congress stands with our armed forces, our soldiers, families of our soldiers and the government of India, in these tough times," said party chief Sonia Gandhi on Ladakh clash.


Jun 17, 2020 15:41 (IST)
PM Modi observes two-minute silence as a tribute to the soldiers killed in line of duty in Ladakh

Jun 17, 2020 15:31 (IST)
India-China: India Can Give Fitting Reply When Provoked, Says PM Narendra Modi After Ladakh Clash
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that the sacrifice of Indian soldiers killed in a clash with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh would not go in vain. "India wants peace but when provoked, India is capable of giving a fitting reply, be it any kind of situation," PM Modi warned in a strong message to China." itemprop="description
Jun 17, 2020 15:17 (IST)
Jun 17, 2020 15:09 (IST)
Jun 17, 2020 14:46 (IST)
Jun 17, 2020 14:26 (IST)
China Says Doesn't Wish To See More Clashes On Border With India
China said Wednesday it wanted to avoid further clashes with India along their Himalayan border after the first deadly confrontation between the two nuclear powers in decades."
Jun 17, 2020 13:37 (IST)
JUST IN: PM Modi Calls All-Party Meet On Friday To Discuss Situation After Ladakh Clash
Jun 17, 2020 13:36 (IST)
No Mention Of Casualties In China State Media

Neither the Indian army nor the government have officially commented on how many Chinese soldiers were hurt or killed but sources tell NDTV that the number stands at about 45. This information is based on intercepts as well as helicopters that were seen hovering in the area to airlift Chinese troops.

China's defence ministry confirmed late Tuesday that there had been casualties but has refrained from giving a number.

The Chinese nationalist tabloid Global Times reported the number of deaths on the Indian side, but said China had not released information about casualties.

Meanwhile, state broadcaster CCTV and the Communist Party-owned People's Daily republished the Chinese military's official statement on social media, without any additional reports.

CCTV's widely watched daily Xinwen Lianbo evening news broadcast made no mention of the border confrontation on Tuesday. (Read full story here)
Jun 17, 2020 13:15 (IST)
For Modi, China Clash Is His Biggest Challenge As PM

India is a responsible nation which relies on diplomatic and back-channel talks to defuse tensions. The Chinese have not entered our territory to launch a full-scale war with India. At the outside, they want to force India to negotiate, as Mao told his commanders in 1962. This is not the time for India to react in anger."
Jun 17, 2020 13:02 (IST)
"Deeply Disturbing And Painful": Rajnath Singh On Soldiers Killed In Action In Ladakh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today gave his condolences to the families of 20 soldiers who laid down their lives for India in a violent face-off with the Chinese army at Galwan valley in Ladakh.

"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," Mr Singh 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," the Defence Minister said.

The violent clashes with Chinese soldiers at Galwan valley in Ladakh has prompted the Indian Army to rethink its rules of engagement along the sensitive Line of Actual Control (LAC), people with direct knowledge of the matter told NDTV. (Read full story here)
Jun 17, 2020 12:46 (IST)
India-China: Why Is He Hiding, Rahul Gandhi Targets PM Narendra Modi Over India-China Face-Off

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deaths of Indian soldiers in a violent face-off with the Chinese army at Galwan valley in Ladakh. Mr Gandhi asked PM Modi to speak up and questioned what he called was the Prime Minister's "silence" over the deadliest border incident between India and China in decades."
Jun 17, 2020 12:45 (IST)
Mother Of Colonel, Killed In Action In Ladakh, Remembers Last Phone Call

Colonel Santosh Babu, the army officer who died for the country on Monday night, was to be transferred to Hyderabad but the move was delayed by the coronavirus lockdown. He last spoke to his parents on Sunday, a day before he was killed in a violent face-off with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh.

Colonel Santosh Babu from Telangana and two jawans, Havildar Palani from Tamil Nadu and Sepoy Ojha from Jharkhand, were among 20 soldiers killed in the first fatal clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers since 1975.

Santosh Babu's wife, daughter, 8, and son, 4, who live in Delhi, have been flown to Telangana. (Read full story here)
Jun 17, 2020 12:43 (IST)
India and China have been discussing through military and diplomatic channels the de-escalation of the situation in the border area in Eastern Ladakh, said the spokesperson, and senior Commanders had a productive meeting on June 6 and agreed on a process for such de-escalation. Subsequently, ground commanders had a series of meetings to implement the consensus reached at a higher level.

Jun 17, 2020 12:43 (IST)

Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in a "violent face-off" with Chinese troops in Ladakh after they tried to "unilaterally change the status quo there", the Army said in a statement on Tuesday. A Colonel and two jawans were among the soldiers killed in the face-off at Galwan Valley in Ladakh -- the most serious escalation between the two countries along the border in five decades.

News agency ANI, quoting sources, had confirmed 43 Chinese soldiers have been killed or seriously injured because of intercepts, though the army's statement did not refer to this. 

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