Indian Army clarifies: No new face-off with Chinese troops in first week of May

Rejecting a media report over a face-off between troops of India and China, the Indian Army has said that 'the article seems to be inspired by sources which may be trying to derail the ongoing process for early resolution of issues in eastern Ladakh.'

The Army statement came in response to a report titled 'Minor face-off with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley' in English newspaper The Hindu on May 23.

In a statement, the Indian Army said: "It is clarified that no such minor face-off took place between Indian and Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in the first week of May 2021."

The Army also requested the media professionals to clarify actual versions or positions on incidents involving the Indian Army from authorised sources in the Indian Army and not base reports on uncorroborated inputs from third parties.

The Hindu report had quoted a senior government official who claimed that a minor face-off between the Indian and Chinese troops had been reported in the no-patrolling zone at Eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley in the first week of May. The report, however, said that there was no clash, as both sides disengaged quickly.

India and China have been engaged in a border standoff at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh since May last year. 

Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a brawl on June 15 in the Galwan Valley. Twenty Indian soldiers, including a Colonel-rank officer, were killed. The Chinese side also suffered massive casualties but accepted only four deaths and that too after a gap of eight months.

So far, 11 rounds of military-level talks have been held for disengagement and de-escalation of troops of two countries. Both armies disengaged from north and south of Pangong Tso areas in February this year.

The talks are yet to be held on Gogra, Depsang, Hot Springs, Gogra and Demchok.

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• Indian Army
• The Hindu
• Galwan Valley
• India-China faceoff
• Chinese PLA