Galwan clash martyrs to be honoured at Republic Day parade: Report

A violent standoff between Indian and Chinese troops high in the Himalayas are taking a dire toll on traditional goat herds that supply the world’s finest, most expensive cashmere. The deadly brawl caused the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Indian Army martyrs who laid down their lives during the violent clashes that broke out with China last year will reportedly be honoured at the Republic Day parade 2021.

According to a Hindustan Times report, 16 Bihar battalion’s Colonel B Santosh Babu along with at least four more Indian Army men who were martyred during the June 15, 2020 Galwan Valley clash in Eastern Ladakh will be honoured posthumously on January 26. They will reportedly be awarded gallantry medals for their supreme sacrifice.

Notably, neither the Defence Ministry nor the Indian Army has officially confirmed any such development.

The Indian Army soldiers had successfully stopped the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers from intruding into Indian territory and had also forced them to withdraw eventually. The clashes between Indian and Chinese troopers had continued for hours as the PLA soldiers had come equipped with sticks and spears and had also outnumbered Indian Army men. However, after a bitter struggle in which 20 Indian soldiers were martyred, victory was claimed.

Heavy casualties were inflicted on the Chinese side too with at least 50 PLA soldiers losing their lives during the skirmish. However, the numbers are based on Indian intel estimates as China never officially revealed information on the PLA soldiers who died during the Galwan Valley clashes.

Read our complete coverage on the India-China border tension