45 Chinese soldiers killed during clashes with Indian troops at Galwan Valley, reveals Russian news agency

Russian news agency TASS on Wednesday (Febaruary 10) claimed at least 45 Chinese soldiers got killed during the violent faceoff with Indian troops at Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15, 2020.

TASS, in its report on India-China border troops disengagement, said that around 20 Indian soldiers also died in the violent skirmish.

“Following these incidents, New Delhi and Beijing increased the concentration of forces in the region to about 50,000 people each,’’ it added.

TASS made the claim on the day when Indian and Chinese troops started disengagement from the shared border near the Pangong Tso lake. The disengagement started in accordance with earlier agreements reached between New Delhi and Beijing.

The news of disengagement of troops from both the sides was also confirmed by the Chinese Defense Ministry on Wednesday.

"Both sides simultaneously commence the planned withdrawal of forces from the border in accordance with agreements, achieved during the 9th round of negotiations at the army commanders’ level," the Chinese Defense Ministry statement said.

The spokesperson of China’s Ministry of National Defence, Wu Qian said, "According to the consensus reached by the 9th round of the military commander-level talks between China and India, the frontline units of the Chinese and Indian armed forces in Pangong Hunan and North Coast began to simultaneously and systematically organize disengagement on February 10."

It is to be noted that Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in skirmishes along the LAC near Pangong lake in Ladakh since May 2020. 

In this first phase of disengagement, some tanks and armoured elements on the South bank are being withdrawn. There is also thinning down of troops on the north bank, a Government of India source said. However, troops continue to remain in key positions. 

It would be a multi-step process for disengagement and de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and would take time, said a second government source.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh would make a statement in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday on the situation in Ladakh, his office said on Twitter.