Galwan Valley face-off first anniversary: Army pays homage to Indian soldiers killed in clash with Chinese troops

Satellite images of Galwan Valley (File image via Reuters)

The Indian army on June 15 paid homage to soldiers who died during the violent face-off with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh a year ago.

“Their valour will be eternally etched in the memory of the nation,” the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, Ministry of Defence (Army), tweeted.

Major General Akash Kaushik, Officiating General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Fire and Fury Corps, also laid a wreath at the Leh war Memorial and paid homage to the Indian personnel who were killed while defending against troops of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

“In the face of unprecedented Chinese aggression, 20 Indian soldiers laid down their lives defending our land and inflicted heavy casualties on the PLA,” the Indian Army said.

“The nation will remain eternally grateful to these gallant soldiers who fought in the most difficult high altitude terrain and made supreme sacrifice in service of the nation,” the army added.

Army Chief General MM Naravane & all ranks of Army pay homage to braveheats who made supreme sacrifice in #Galwan Valley while defending the territorial integrity & sovereignty of the country. Their valour will be eternally etched in memory of the nation: Indian Army

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(File pics) pic.twitter.com/qc5UH1Oiqn

— ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2021

In the first deadly clash with China in the border area in nearly five decades, 20 Indian soldiers were killed on the intervening night of June 15-16, 2020 in the Galwan Valley. Colonel B Santosh Babu, the commanding officer of 16 Bihar Regiment, was among those killed in action during the clash. He was posthumously decorated with India's second-highest wartime gallantry award, the Maha Vir Chakra.

Ten Indian Army personnel, captured by the Chinese during the face-off, were returned a few days later after talks at the diplomatic and military level.

The incident triggered a large deployment of troops and heavy weaponry by both armies at multiple friction points along the LAC.

In February, China officially acknowledged that five Chinese military officers and soldiers were killed in the clashes with the Indian Army though it is widely believed that the death toll was higher.

Read: 'A year after Galwan clashes, India better prepared to deal with any eventualities'

Months later, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed on a five-point pact to resolve the row at a meeting in Moscow on September 10. The two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of Pangong lake in February 2021 following a series of military and diplomatic talks.

Both sides are currently engaged in talks to extend the disengagement process to the remaining friction points.

(With inputs from PTI)