US intel estimates 35 Chinese soldiers killed in LAC clash with India; China non-committal

A day after a violent face-off between Indian and Chinese armies in the Galwan valley, sources said that US intel believes that 35 PLA soldiers died, including a senior officer. China has not released any information on the casualties suffered by the People's Liberation Army soldiers during the violent face-off. However, editor-in-chief of Chinese mouthpiece Global Times said that the Xi government would not be doing so as a goodwill gesture to avoid the comparison of casualty numbers on both sides. Nevertheless, news agency ANI quoting sources said that PLA is said to have suffered 43 casualties, including dead and injured.

Meanwhile, troops who were part of the face-off estimated the casualties on the Chinese side to be much more than 40, based on the number of Chinese soldiers evacuated from the face-off location on stretchers and subsequently by ambulance vehicles on the track along the Galwan river, as also the increased Chinese helicopter movement, sources said.

READ | US issues first statement on violent face-off between India-China at Galwan valley

Indian Army statement

"Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020. 17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20.  Indian Army is firmly committed to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation," said the Army in its statement on Tuesday night. As per sources, 4 more Jawans are in a critical condition.

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READ | India-China faceoff: Army confirms disengagement at Galwan; 20 soldiers martyred in action

A series of meetings took place as the situation unfolded. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with the Chief of the Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, the three service chiefs and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Later, Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the latest development. PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah also met. 

READ | China suffered 43 casualties at Galwan Valley violent standoff along LAC: ANI Sources