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India-China clash: Two sides blame each other for deadly fighting India-China clash: Modi says soldiers' deaths 'will not be in vain'
(about 1 hour later)
China and India have accused each other of provoking fighting in which at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a disputed Himalayan border area. India's prime minister has made his first comments about the killing of at least 20 soldiers in a clash with Chinese troops in a disputed Himalayan border area.
Soldiers reportedly brawled with sticks, bats and bamboo sticks studded with nails in the late-night confrontation in the Ladakh region on Monday. In a televised address about Monday's violence, Narendra Modi warned the deaths "will not be in vain".
However, no shots were fired. Soldiers reportedly brawled with sticks, bats and bamboo sticks studded with nails in the Ladakh region.
India's army said that both sides suffered casualties. China confirmed the incident but did not give details. Both sides insist no shots were fired, as part of a longstanding pact.
India's army said China also suffered casualties but Beijing has given no details.
The Indian statement notes that injured soldiers were "exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain".The Indian statement notes that injured soldiers were "exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain".
It is the first deadly clash between the two sides in the border area, in the disputed Kashmir region, in at least 45 years.It is the first deadly clash between the two sides in the border area, in the disputed Kashmir region, in at least 45 years.
India said China had tried to "unilaterally change the status quo". Beijing accused Indian troops of "attacking Chinese personnel".India said China had tried to "unilaterally change the status quo". Beijing accused Indian troops of "attacking Chinese personnel".
The two armies later held talks to try to defuse tensions.The two armies later held talks to try to defuse tensions.
What happened?What happened?
The fighting occurred in the precipitous, rocky terrain of the strategically important Galwan Valley, which lies between China's Tibet and India's Ladakh.The fighting occurred in the precipitous, rocky terrain of the strategically important Galwan Valley, which lies between China's Tibet and India's Ladakh.
Indian media say soldiers engaged in direct hand-to-hand combat, with some "beaten to death". During the fight, one newspaper reported, others fell or were pushed into a river.Indian media say soldiers engaged in direct hand-to-hand combat, with some "beaten to death". During the fight, one newspaper reported, others fell or were pushed into a river.
The Indian army initially said a colonel and two soldiers had died. It later said that "17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty" and died from their injuries, taking the "total that were killed in action to 20". The Indian army initially said a colonel and two soldiers had died. It later said that "17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty" and died from their injuries, taking the "total that were killed in action to 20".
Both sides insist no bullet has been fired in four decades, and the Indian army said on Tuesday that "no shots were fired" in this latest skirmish.
India's foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said the clash arose from "an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo" on the border.
China did not confirm the number of casualties, but accused India in turn of crossing the border onto the Chinese side.
The clash has provoked protests in India, with people burning Chinese flags.The clash has provoked protests in India, with people burning Chinese flags.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been under pressure to publicly address the issue, including from Rahul Gandhi, former leader of the opposition Indian National Congress party. Addressing the issue on Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi said: "India wants peace but when provoked, India is capable of giving a fitting reply, be it any kind of situation.
In a tweet, Mr Modi called for an all-party meeting on Friday to discuss the situation, but did not make any other comment on the confrontation. He said he wanted to "assure the nation" the loss of the soldiers would "not be in vain".
Meanwhile, India Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted on Wednesday: "The loss of soldiers in Galwan is deeply disturbing and painful. "For us, the unity and sovereignty of the country is the most important," he added.
"Our soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army." China did not confirm the number of casualties, but accused India of crossing the border onto the Chinese side.
Why was the clash so lethal? China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it wanted to avoid further clashes and reiterated that it was not to blame.
The fighting on the border in Ladakh was the worst in nearly half a century.
This is not the first time the two nuclear-armed neighbours have fought without conventional firearms on the border. India and China have a history of face-offs and overlapping territorial claims along the more than 3,440km (2,100 mile), poorly drawn Line of Actual Control (LAC) separating the two sides.This is not the first time the two nuclear-armed neighbours have fought without conventional firearms on the border. India and China have a history of face-offs and overlapping territorial claims along the more than 3,440km (2,100 mile), poorly drawn Line of Actual Control (LAC) separating the two sides.
Border patrols have often bumped into each other, resulting in occasional scuffles. But no bullets have been fired in four decades. Don't expect any more confirmation from China
And at the root of this is a 1996 bilateral agreement that says "neither side shall open fire... conduct blast operations or hunt with guns or explosives within two kilometres of the Line of Actual Control". Analysis by Robin Brant, BBC News, Beijing
Both countries send out patrols that often engage in physical stand-offs. Last month dozens of Indian and Chinese soldiers exchanged physical blows in a clash on the shared border in the state of Sikkim. Seven Chinese and four Indian troops were injured. The official line from Beijing is that China and India have an agreement to "peacefully resolve" their Himalayan border dispute. The foreign ministry also repeated claims that Indian forces "provoked and attacked" their Chinese counterparts. But that's where the detail ends.
When things get worse, the two sides end up fighting with makeshift weapons. China has not confirmed how many of its personnel died or were injured. The Indian media has reported gruesome details. There are claims that US intelligence agencies think China suffered a loss of life in the dozens. But the closest Beijing has come to any official confirmation is a tweet from the state-run Global Times newspaper saying it has "never reported the exact casualties on the Chinese side'".
"It's grim stuff. Blunt force trauma. Bludgeoning," Vipin Narang, a security studies professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told me. The main reason is that China just doesn't do that. Going back decades it's never given contemporaneous confirmation on military deaths outside of peacekeeping duties. Sometimes numbers have emerged, but many, many years later.
"The trade-offs is fewer potential fatalities, but the method of death is medieval." On this occasion China's propagandists may not want to fan nationalist flames at home by making much of any loss. Or they may not want to admit to a significant and demoralising loss. Or, as has long been the case, they just don't want to admit if Chinese soldiers have been killed in action.
How tense is the area?How tense is the area?
The LAC is poorly demarcated. The presence of rivers, lakes and snowcaps means the line can shift. The soldiers either side - representing two of the world's largest armies - come face-to-face at many points.The LAC is poorly demarcated. The presence of rivers, lakes and snowcaps means the line can shift. The soldiers either side - representing two of the world's largest armies - come face-to-face at many points.
Border patrols have often bumped into each other, resulting in occasional scuffles.
The last firing on the border happened in 1975 when four Indian soldiers were killed in a remote pass in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The clash was variously described by former diplomats as an ambush and an accident.The last firing on the border happened in 1975 when four Indian soldiers were killed in a remote pass in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The clash was variously described by former diplomats as an ambush and an accident.
But there have been tense confrontations along the border in recent weeks. But no bullets have been fired since.
India has accused China of sending thousands of troops into Ladakh's Galwan Valley and says China occupies 38,000sq km (14,700sq miles) of its territory. Several rounds of talks in the last three decades have failed to resolve the boundary disputes. At the root of this is a 1996 bilateral agreement that says "neither side shall open fire... conduct blast operations or hunt with guns or explosives within two kilometres of the Line of Actual Control".
But there have been tense confrontations along the border in recent weeks. In May Indian and Chinese soldiers exchanged physical blows on the border in the north-eastern Indian state of Sikkim.
India has accused China of sending thousands of troops into Ladakh's Galwan Valley and says China occupies 38,000 sq km (14,700 sq miles) of its territory. Several rounds of talks in the last three decades have failed to resolve the boundary disputes.
The two countries have fought only one war so far, in 1962, when India suffered a humiliating defeat.The two countries have fought only one war so far, in 1962, when India suffered a humiliating defeat.
There are several reasons why tensions are rising again now - but competing strategic goals lie at the root, and both sides blame each other. There are several reasons why tensions are rising again now - but competing strategic goals lie at the root.
India has built a new road in what experts say is the most remote and vulnerable area along the LAC in Ladakh. And India's decision to ramp up infrastructure seems to have infuriated Beijing. The two countries have devoted extensive money and manpower to building roads, bridges, rail links and air fields along the disputed border.
India also disputes part of Kashmir - an ethnically diverse Himalayan region covering about 140,000sq km - with Pakistan. Both India and China see each other's construction efforts as calculated moves to gain a tactical advantage, and tensions often flare up when either announces a major project.
Following the latest clash between China and India, the United Nations urged both sides "to exercise maximum restraint".Following the latest clash between China and India, the United Nations urged both sides "to exercise maximum restraint".
"We take positive note of reports that the two countries have engaged to de-escalate the situation," UN associate spokesperson Eri Kaneko said."We take positive note of reports that the two countries have engaged to de-escalate the situation," UN associate spokesperson Eri Kaneko said.
A US State Department spokesman, meanwhile, said it was "closely monitoring" the situation and that the US supports a peaceful resolution. India also disputes part of Kashmir - an ethnically diverse Himalayan region covering about 140,000 sq km - with Pakistan.