LAC row live updates: Keep strict vigil on Chinese activities on land, air & sea, Rajnath tells forces

Amid border dispute with China, defence forces get powers to buy critical weapons, ammunition upto Rs 500 crore per acquisition, reports ANI.

"The Vice Chiefs of the three services have been given the financial powers upto Rs 500 crore per project to acquire the required weapon systems under fast track procedures needed to fill whatever shortcomings or requirement is felt," a senior government official told ANI.

Read: How Biharis Regiment soldiers removed Chinese observation post from PP-14 in Galwan Valley

Armed forces told to forcefully deal with Chinese aggression along LAC

The armed forces deployed along the 3,500-km de-facto border with China have been given "full freedom" in giving "befitting" reply to any Chinese aggressive behaviour, government sources said after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a high-level meeting with top military brass on the situation in eastern Ladakh. The meeting was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.

US talking to India and China, will try and help them out: Trump

The United states is talking to both India and China to help them resolve their ongoing border tensions, President Donald Trump said on Saturday. “They've come to blows, and we'll see what happens. We'll try and help them out,” Trump said when asked about his assessment of the situation between India and China. Over the past few days, the entire Trump Administration has rallied behind India against the illegitimate incursions of the Chinese Army into the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh.

Top military brass told to ensure strict vigil on Chinese activities around land border, airspace and in strategic sea lanes: Sources

India to adopt a different tactical approach in guarding border with China henceforth: Sources after defence minister's review meeting

Indian forces told be fully ready to give befitting reply to any Chinese misadventure in eastern Ladakh and other sectors: Sources

Defence minister Rajnath Singh holds high-level meeting with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat and three service chiefs on situation in Ladakh: PTI quoting sources

China likely lost at least 40 soldiers in border clash: Reuters quoting VK Singh

"If 20 were martyred on our (Indian) side, then there would have been at least double the casualties on their (China) side," VK Singh, the minister for roads and transport, told a TV channel in an interview broadcast late on Saturday. Singh, who is a former army chief, did not provide any evidence to support his statement. He said China historically never accepted any war casualties including in the 1962 conflict with India.

'Surender Modi': Rahul Gandhi takes a jibe at PM over Ladakh standoff with China

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister over the ongoing border conflict with China in Ladakh, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that Narendra Modi "is actually Surender Modi". The former Congress president referred to an article published in Japan Times, which claimed that India's "policy of appeasement" has failed to deter China from adopting an aggressive approach towards India.

Read: Fragilities in the People's Liberation Army

Chinese social media sites delete PM's speech, MEA spokesman's remarks on border crisis

Indian embassy officials in Beijing have said the speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to chief ministers on June 18 as well as the comments by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been deleted from two Chinese social media accounts, including Weibo. Officials said the transcript of the remarks of the MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava were found to have been removed from the Embassy's account of Sina Weibo on June 18. After that the Indian officials re-published the screen shots of Srivastava's comments on June 19.

Modi’s ‘no intruder’ remark being interpreted mischievously: PMO

In a rebuttal of interpretations of PM Narendra Modi’s “no intruder on our land” comment as a validation of China’s claims to Indian territory, the PMO on Saturday said the remarks were made in the specific context of the Indian Army’s successful resistance on June 16 to PLA’s attempt to erect structures across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley area in Ladakh. Responding to the charge — seconded by some veterans — that Modi’s statement at the all-party meeting on Friday was tantamount to acquiescence to China’s claims that its territory has been “violated”, PMO termed such a reading of the comments as “mischievous”.

Army ‘holding’ clash area, PLA blocking 8km Pangong stretch

There is still lack of clarity about the exact ground situation in the Galwan Valley region of eastern Ladakh. But sources in the Army say Chinese soldiers have built — since early May — dozens of new fortifications and bunkers after physically occupying an almost 8km stretch in what India considers to be its territory along Pangong Tso. These sources acknowledge that Chinese troops have also taken control of the heights to dominate the ‘Finger-4 to 8’ (mountainous spurs) area on the north bank of Pangong Tso, adroitly utilising the time when bilateral military talks were underway on troop confrontations at Patrolling Points 14, 15 and 17 in the Galwan Valley and Gogra-Hot Springs areas.

Oil companies rush extra supplies for defence forces in Ladakh

State-run oil firms are rushing additional fuel supplies to Ladakh to meet increased demand from the defence forces. They have also tanked up storage depots in the northern region for the troops deployed in large numbers along the LAC. The oil companies have deployed aviation bowsers for easy refuelling of helicopters being used extensively by the forces. Jet fuel stocks have also been beefed up as the air force has moved fighter aircraft to forward locations. Read more

Unusual activity by China air force detected: IAF chief

India has detected unusual movement of China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) along the border in Ladakh and put in place its own strategy to respond to any contingency, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said on Saturday. In Hyderabad for the combined graduation day parade at Air Force Academy, Dundigal, he said the Indian Air Force (IAF) was aware of China’s air bases and the deployment along the LAC. “During summer, there are usual exercises. But at this time, we have noticed more than usual deployment. We have taken necessary action,” he said while explaining why IAF had moved its aircraft to forward air bases. Read more

I didn't renew contract with a Chinese company as I came to know about Galwan Valley clash the day I'd to sign agreement, says businessman Paresh Rathod from Surat