Galwan Valley clash: China amassing troops at LAC since May, says MEA

Chinese actions led to rising tensions and face-off, says ministry

Current Affairs: In its most strident comments on the recent border clashes with China, India on Thursday blamed Beijing for “amassing a large contingent of troops and armaments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)” since early May. It said this has led India to take counter measures, which increased the tension in border areas. It warned China that a continuation of the situation would only vitiate the atmosphere for the development of the relationship. New Delhi accused Beijing of repeatedly flouting laid-down agreements and norms on handling border tensions.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in an online media briefing, said the Chinese amassing of troops and armaments along the LAC was at the heart of the recent face-offs between the ground troops of the two sides. The MEA said the Chinese actions led to the increase in tension in the region and also led to the violent face-off of June 15. As many as 20 Indian soldiers, including a commanding officer, were killed and 76 injured. China has admitted to casualties, but is yet to disclose numbers.

The MEA said the Chinese side hindered India’s normal, traditional patrolling pattern in the Galwan Valley area from early May. While the resulting face-off was addressed by the ground commanders, according to the provisions of the bilateral agreements, the Chinese side sought to change the status quo in other areas of the western sector in mid-May….

Galwan clash: China talks peace but raises troop deployment by 30%

It said it would continue holding talks “for peace and tranquillity” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

A day after a 11-hour border meeting between senior military commanders of India and China, Beijing has welcomed an agreement to “cool down the situation”. It said it would continue holding talks “for peace and tranquillity” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Describing the meeting, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesperson said: “This meeting showed that the two sides wish to control and alleviate the situation through dialogue and consultation.”

Beijing flatly rejected the contention of Union Minister General V K Singh (retired) that more than 40 Chinese soldiers had been killed in the Ladakh face-off. “I can tell you for sure this is fake news,” said the MFA spokesperson. Accompanying Beijing’s talk of “dialogue and consultation”, however, is a massive Chinese troop build-up along the border in Ladakh.

Since the June 15 clash, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has inducted large numbers of troops, armoured vehicles, and artillery along the LAC – from Depsang and Galwan in northern Ladakh to Hot Springs, Pangong Tso, and Chushul in central Ladakh, to Demchok and Chumar in southern Ladakh, said a well-informed government source.

India tally rises to 440K; Patanjali launches ayurvedic drug for Covid-19

According to government data, the situation in India is not as alarming as some of the other countries, given a limited spread on a per-capita basis

India reported nearly 15,000 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 440,215, an increase of 3.5% according to the Health Ministry.The country’s death toll has crossed the 14,000 mark with 312 fatalities in a day. India is the fourth-most-affected country by total cases, and eighth by death toll.

According to government data, however, the situation in India is not as alarming as some of the other countries, given a limited spread on a per-capita basis. India has 30.04 coronavirus cases per 100,000 population, which is just a little more than a third of the global average of 114.67, the health ministry has said, referring to the WHO Situation Report 153, dated June 21.

In a piece of good news, India’s unemployment rate fell to its pre-lockdown level of 8.5 per cent in the week ended June 21. The rate had spiked from 8.75 per cent in March to 23.5 per cent in April and peaked at 27 per cent in May. Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali Ayurved, meanwhile, is launching a medicine, ‘Coronil’, for treating Covid-19 in Haridwar today. Acharya Balkrishna, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Patanjali, had earlier this month claimed that an Ayurvedic medicine developed by the company has been able to cure Covid-19 patients within 5-14 days…Read More

Galwan clash: PM must be mindful of his words, says Manmohan Singh

On Friday, Modi had said, at an all-party meeting: "Neither is anyone inside our territory nor are any of our posts captured."

Without charging Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly, former PM Manmohan Singh said Modi must “always be mindful of the implications of his words.”

“At this moment, we stand at historic crossroads. Our government's decisions and actions will have serious bearing on how future generations perceive us. Those who lead us bear the weight of a solemn duty. In our democracy that responsibility rests with the office of the Prime Minister. The prime minister must always be mindful of the implications of his words and declarations on our nation's security as also strategic and territorial interests," Singh said, in his first reaction after the India-China clash at Galwan Valley in which 20 soldiers lost their lives.

On Friday, Modi had said, at an all-party meeting: “Neither is anyone inside our territory nor are any of our posts captured.” The Congress questioned the statement and questioned whether Modi meant Indian territory had been ceded to China. The PMO warned everyone not to derive a "mischievous interpretation" of PM Modi's remark.

"The prime minister's observations that there was no Chinese presence on our side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) pertained to the situation as a consequence of the bravery of our armed forces. The sacrifices of the soldiers of the 16 Bihar Regiment foiled the attempt of the Chinese side to erect structures and also cleared the attempted transgression at this point of the LAC on that day," the government said...

Ladakh standoff: China, India reached positive consensus to ease situation

Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged since May 5 following a violent clash in Pangong Tso.

China said on Wednesday that Indian and Chinese troops have started implementing the “positive consensus” reached by senior military officials of the two countries on June 6 aimed at “easing” the situation along the borders.

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson’s remarks came a day after officials in New Delhi suggested that armies of India and China have undertaken a “limited disengagement” in few areas in eastern Ladakh in a demonstration of their intent to end the border standoff peacefully ahead of another round of military talks on Wednesday.

Asked about the reports of the troops on both sides disengaging and moving back to their previous positions, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here that both sides are taking steps to ease the situation along the borders. “Recently the diplomatic and military channels of China and India held effective communication on the situation along the border and reached positive consensus,” she said.

ALSO READ: Deinduct 10,000 troops, heavy weapons deployed along LAC: India to China

“The two sides are following this consensus to take actions to ease the situation along the borders,” the spokesperson said. Military sources in New Delhi said the two armies have begun “disengagement” around patrolling points 14 and 15 in Galwan Valley and another in the Hot Spring area, adding the Chinese side has even moved back up to 1.5 km in two areas…Read More