Indian officer, two others killed in clash with PLA; casualties on both sides

The Indian army suffered multiple casualties, including that of an officer, in a “violent face off” with China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday night in eastern Ladakh, the army said in a statement. It added that there were casualties on both sides.

These are the first Indian casualties in a clash with the PLA since 1975 when an Indian patrol was ambushed by Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh.

The army said the incident took place at a time the de-escalation process was “underway in the Galwan valley”.

Military commanders of the two armies, Major General Abhijit Bapat, commander of the Karu-based HQs 3 Infantry Division and his Chinese counterpart are holding talks at the site of the clash to defuse tensions.

All the deaths are from thrown stones and rods that were used by the soldiers, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. The army did not comment on this. However, this won’t be the first time the two armies have engaged in fisticuffs or used stones as missiles to attack each other in the area.

In Delhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the current operational situation after the clash on the LAC, along with the Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar was also present. Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane had cancelled his scheduled visit to Pathankot on Tuesday.