Galwan Valley Clash: Homage paid to martyrs on first anniversary of faceoff with China

On Tuesday, June 15, the Ministry of Defense Public Relations Unit (PRO), Srinagar, informed that on the first anniversary of the violent clash between the Armies of India and China in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, Fire and Fury corps paid homage to the soldiers killed in the face-off.  

A statement issued by PRO Defence, Srinagar said in the face of unprecedented Chinese aggression, 20 Indian soldiers laid down their lives defending our land and inflicted heavy casualties on the PLA. It further informed that in a solemn ceremony, Major General Akash Kaushik, COS, Fire and Fury Corps, laid a wreath at the iconic War Memorial in Leh on the occasion.

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

India's preparation after the clash

India has undertaken some major developments after one year of the Galwan clash. These include building infrastructure to enhance connectivity and deploying additional troops to tackle any possible aggression by the Chinese. 

From the infrastructure point of view, the biggest achievements have been clinched by the day and night work of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and this connectivity has helped Armed forces to keep all their forward locations supplied throughout the year and given them the capability to deploy troops in no time there. Officials informed, "The Mathura-based One Strike Corps has been reoriented towards the northern borders in Ladakh and the 17 Mountain Strike Corps has been given the charge of the entire northeastern states along with providing it an additional Division comprising over 10,000 troops". 

With respect to rafale boost, officials said, "Along with the Rafales, the MiG-29s and the Su-30 fleets have been dominating the skies all along the northern borders and the second squadron or the planes would be ready for operations by the end of this month".  

In the sector of troop accommodation, the biggest achievement of the defence forces has been in creating accommodation for the troops as the Military Engineers have created facilities planned to have been built in the next five years within the last 11 months. Officials said the preparedness of the armed forces is now at a level where the Chinese or any other adversary cannot surprise us in any way. 

Government officials said, "Surprised shortly by the sudden Chinese aggression in the Ladakh sector, the forces have now strengthened themselves significantly".

(With ANI inputs)

(Image Credit: PTI/ANI)