The Chinese army breached an agreement with India to leave a conflict zone near the disputed Himalayan border, instead using mace-like weapons to launch an attack that resulted in at least 20 deaths earlier this week, Indian media reports say.

During high-level talks on June 6, the two militaries had agreed to disengage their troops from a conflict area in the Galwan Valley, according to the reports, which cited Indian army officials.
However, camps and observation spots set up by the People’s Liberation Army of China remained on the site, the reports said. Indian army officer Bikkumalla Santosh Babu asked the Chinese troops to retreat, but to no avail, and a clash broke out.

Some Chinese soldiers used mace-like weapons to attack the Indians. Troops from both sides also engaged in stone-slinging and fist-fighting, but used no firearms, the reports said.

Monday’s deaths were the first between the two armies on the Chinese-Indian border in the past 45 years. In 1975, four Indian soldiers were killed in a remote pass in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The latest confrontation was also the most serious since 1967, when a clash in Nathu La caused India and China to lose around 80 and 300 soldiers respectively.

India said 20 of its soldiers were killed on Monday. China has yet to announce its casualty toll.
With the Galwan Valley located 4,300 km above sea level, the low temperatures and harsh terrain could make soldiers more prone to falling or impair rescue efforts.

India’s foreign ministry said yesterday that both countries had agreed the overall situation should be handled in a responsible manner, and that making exaggerated and untenable claims was contrary to this understanding.

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Indian soldiers did not die “in vain” and that India would “firmly defend its self-respect and every inch of land.”

Zhao Lijian, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed the issue with India’s foreign minister in a phone call. Both sides agreed to handle the matter fairly and respected the agreement reached earlier.

The South China Morning Post, citing a source close to the Chinese military, said Beijing viewed the clash casualties as a “very sensitive” matter and could not unveil the toll until Chinese President Xi Jinping had given the go-ahead.

While the bilateral tensions remained elevated, Beijing-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank approved a loan of US$750 million to help India combat the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on vulnerable households.

The project, co-financed by the Asian Development Bank, aims to strengthen economic aid for businesses, expand social safety nets and bolster health care.

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