India China Faceoff: Army chief lauds supreme sacrifice of jawans, offers condolences

Indian Army Chief of Staff, General Manoj Mukund Naravane, saluted the supreme sacrifice of the 20 jawans martyred at Ladakh's Galwan Valley and offered condolences to their families.

In a tweet on Wednesday, the Indian Army said the forces stand strong in its resolve towards protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the country and vowed that the sacrifices of the martyrs will not go in vain.

READ | IPS Association Salutes Indian Army Bravehearts Martyred At LAC In Clash With China

The remarks come after the Army released the list of the martyrs who lost their lives on June 15-16. While Colonel Santosh Babu and two other soldiers were killed in action at the Line of Actual Control, the other 17 injured soldiers succumbed to their injures in the sub-freezing temperatures of Ladakh. Both India and China are currently engaging in diplomatic and Army-level talks regarding the situation.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the Indian Army had said: "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 standoff 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 protecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation."

READ | Chinese Army Suffered Over 45 Casualties During Galwan LAC Clash: Prasar Bharti Sources

PM Modi calls all-party meeting

In response to China's blatant incursion into Indian territory, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called an all-party meet on June 19 at 5 PM to discuss the situation at India-China border areas. The Prime Minister's office has said that presidents of various political parties can take part in the meeting that will be held virtually due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The Opposition parties have been demanding a briefing on the current scenario.

READ | India-China LAC Clash: Army Releases List Of 20 Brave Martyrs Killed In Action At Galwan

READ | LAC Faceoff: PM Modi Warns China, Says 'India Capable Of Befitting Reply If Instigated'