Nation will never forget: Rajnath Singh on killing of 20 army personnel
After twenty Indian army personnel were killed in the deadliest clash with China in eastern Ladakh in decades, India’s Defence minister Rajnath Singh has mourned the loss and said, “The nation will never forget it.”
“The loss of soldiers in Galwan is deeply disturbing and painful. Our soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army,” Mr. Singh tweeted.
In another tweet, Mr. Singh said that the nation will never forget the bravery and sacrifice of army personnel killed in Galwan valley. “The Nation will never forget their bravery and sacrifice. My heart goes out to the families of the fallen soldiers. The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with them in this difficult hour. We are proud of the bravery and courage of India’s breavehearts,” he said.
In a statement, the spokesman of China’s Western Theater, Zhang Shuili, accused the Indian army of “[violating] its commitment and crossed the actual control line again [on the evening of 15 June]. Illegal activities, deliberately launched provocative attacks, triggered fierce physical conflict between the two sides, resulting in casualties.”
The statement sent out by India’s Ministry of External Affairs’ spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Tuesday claimed: “India and China have been discussing through military and diplomatic channels the de-escalation of the situation in the border area in Eastern Ladakh.”
On Tuesday, the Indian army also issued a statement, claiming, “Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020.” The army added that it “is firmly committed to protecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation.”
KW
