India China Face-off Sees Casualties

Several casualties were observed in the latest face-off between India and China, with the incident coming after weeks of standoff between the two.

Crux of the Matter

LAC Casualties On 15 June, 2020, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent face-off with China in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh. The physical confrontation included the use of stones and rods. The incident came after 6 weeks of the standoff at the border, with China invoking aggression at different places along the LAC.

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Sequence Of Events

1. Troop disengagement agreed on 6 June

2. 15 June: Indian Patrol went to verify withdrawal in evening

3. Found no withdrawal from Chinese side

4. Fight ensued, with soldiers using stones and rods

5. Initially the fight was between the first patrol troops. However, it ended with a mass altercation of 200-300 soldiers as more troops arrived for support

6. Indian casualties chiefly by soldiers falling into ravine of sub-zero temperatures

7. 40-50 Chinese casualties mainly because of the breakdown of ridge and landslide

Timeline Of LAC Conflict Conflicts between India and China in recent times started after the former began infrastructure development at the LAC, for which the latter expressed disapproval.

1. 10 May 2020: Skirmish near Nathu La, Sikkim

2. 10-11 May: Chinese jets spotted near LAC Ladakh

3. 20 May: Chinese army deployed in excess at Pangong Lake

4. 21-24 May: Chinese troops reportedly enter Indian territory

5. 15 June: Violent standoff inflicting casualties

Curiopedia

1. The 2014 film PK, made Amir Khan as one of the most famous personalities from Bollywood in China. It was then that China’s legendary adulation for ‘Mishu’, as Aamir is fondly known here, (mi short for Aamir and shu short for shu-hu or uncle in Chinese) really began. Mishu soon became synonymous with Bollywood across the greater Chinese-speaking region.

2. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is the armed forces of the People’s Republic of China and of its founding and ruling political party, the Communist Party of China. The PLA is the world’s largest military force and constitutes the second-largest defence budget in the world.

3. The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river that flows through China, India, and Bangladesh. It is the ninth largest river in the world by discharge and the 15th longest. It is also called the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet.

Curated Coverage

1. NDTV – India, China Troops Clash In Sikkim, Pull Back After Dialogue

2. ANI – Chinese choppers spotted near Ladakh LAC prompt alert, IAF fighters rushed in

3. India Today – Pakistan still has more nuclear weapons, China twice as India | SIPRI report

4. Firstpost – India-China border tensions: 20 soldiers killed, confirms Indian Army after first lethal stand-off in 45 yrs; talks underway

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