India China Standoff: Chinese Double Talk & Galwan Valley Bloodshed
Channel: MentorTalk
Date: 2020-06-18

Indo-China Standoff: Chinese Double Talk - Indo-China Standoff: Galwan Valley Bloodshed 

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A section of media had reported earlier that Chinese troops had entered the Indian territory in the Galwan River valley and protested to Indian road construction within the (undisputed) Indian territory. The road under construction being an offshoot of the Darbuk–Shyok–DBO Road which leads into the Galwan valley. The Chinese erected nearly 100 tents in the area and then fortified the area with troops, heavy vehicles, and monitoring equipment not very far from the Indian side. Another media report said that the Chinese soldiers numbering 2000 – 3000 swamped India at three different places: Hot Springs, Patrol Point 14 and 15. As per the report, Indians also deployed troops in the area and stationed them less than half a km from the Chinese. According to unverified claims in the media, China captured 20-60 sq. km. of Indian-patrolled territory between May and June 2020. According to EurAsian Times, the Chinese have deployed a huge build-up including military-style bunkers, new permanent structures, military trucks, and road-building equipment. Indian troops had also taken up positions to block any further advance by the PLA towards the Darbuk–Shyok–DBO Road. A senior research fellow at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, wrote that the border friction was "an accident." India is definitely aware that the Galwan Valley region is in Chinese territory." On 26th May, Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged the military "to prepare for the worst-case scenarios" and "to scale up battle preparedness." Furthermore, he said that the COVID-19 pandemic brought a profound change on the global landscape about China's security and development. On 27th May 2020, the Chinese authorities stated that the overall situation was stable. Though, mischievously thousands of Chinese soldiers were moving into the disputed regions in Ladakh. 

On 15th June, Indian and Chinese troops fought in extreme conditions for six hours in a steep section of a mountainous region in the Galwan Valley. The fighting began when an Indian patrol encountered Chinese soldiers in an area the Indians were made to believe by the Chinese that they had retreated from as per disengagement agreement. Neither side was equipped with firearms as per tradition designed to reduce the possibility of an escalation. Consequently, hand-to-hand combat broke out, and the Indians called for reinforcements from a post about 2 miles away. Finally, up to 600 men were engaged in combat using stones, batons, iron rods, and other makeshift weapons. The fighting, which took place in near-total darkness, lasted for up to six hours. It is reported that Chinese troops used batons wrapped in barbed wire and clubs embedded with nails. It proves that cunning Chinese troops had pre-planned all this. The conflict occasioned in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers of 16th Bihar Regiment including its commanding officer (a colonel). While three Indian soldiers died on the spot, others died later due to injuries and hypothermia, as reported. Most of the soldiers who were killed fell to their deaths after losing their footing or being pushed off the ridge. The clash took place near the fast-flowing Galwan River, and some soldiers from both sides fell into a river stream and were killed or injured. Chinese suffered 43 casualties including the dead and seriously injured, even the Chinese commanding officer got killed. The Chinese defense ministry confirmed the existence of Chinese casualties but refused to share the number. US intelligence reportedly concluded that 35 Chinese soldiers were killed. There is huge anger and resentment against the Chinese in India and all around the world.