India & China foreign ministers may engage within a week of LAC clash, at RIC virtual meet

Twenty Indian Army personnel including a Colonel were martyred in a fierce clash with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night - an event that was called biggest such escalation since 1975 from almost as soon as news broke, first involving martyrdom of 3 Indian Army personnel. Tensions between two countries have escalated as  Chinese side had departed from 'consensus' to respect LAC in Galway Valley, but insists on blaming India for same while remaining tight-lipped about casualties on its own side. Amid this, a key meeting - a virtual trilateral RIC (Russia, India, China) of Foreign Ministers - is slated for June 22, sources said.

official confirmation from MEA yet

Sources on Russian side have confirmed that EAM Dr S Jaishankar will participate in meeting though re is official confirmation from Ministry of External Affairs yet. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to attend meeting, sources added. meeting on June 22 was scheduled to be held in March but had to be postponed due to  coronavirus crisis.

If Jaishankar participates in meeting, this would be first time he will be interacting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi since stand-off along LAC became public. 

20 Indian soldiers martyred, estimated 43 casualties on Chinese side 

Indian Army on Tuesday issued an official statement on violent face-off that took place on June 15 at Line of Actual Control. It mentioned that both sides had disengd at Galwan area. Moreover, it added that 17 more troops who were critically injured in line of duty had succumbed to ir injuries. This has propelled number of Indian Army personnel martyred at LAC to 20.

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China has t released any information on casualties suffered by People's Liberation Army soldiers during violent face-off in eastern Ladakh, with prominent journalist at Chinese state-run media reporting that Xi government would t be doing so as a goodwill gesture to avoid comparison of casualty numbers on both sides. While at least 20 Indians soldiers were martyred, ANI, quoting certain chatter, suggests 43 casualties including dead and injured from Chinese side. US, and United Nations have taken te of clash.

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face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Ladakh's Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by Chinese troops to "unilaterally change" status quo during de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held a high-level meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah in evening where he carried out a comprehensive review of situation in eastern Ladakh where two armies have been in a standoff for over five weeks. A number of key such meetings were held, involving Prime Minister, Home Minister, Raksha Mantri, CDS and three service Chiefs.

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(With ncy inputs)