The statement came after the third round of major general-level talks between the Indian divisional commander and his Chinese counterpart in eastern Ladakh.
NEW DELHI: Three days after the skirmish between Indian and Chinese troops at Galwan Valley, in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed, the army said on Thursday it has been able to account for all personnel and that no one is now ‘missing in action’.
The statement came after the third round of major general-level talks between the Indian divisional commander and his Chinese counterpart in eastern Ladakh.
People familiar with the details told ET that the outcome of the talks, which lasted nearly six hours, was ‘positive’ under the given circumstances and held in a relatively cooperative atmosphere.
The Indian side had been busy trying to account for its personnel, who were brutally attacked on Monday night in violation of peace and tranquility protocols agreed upon by both sides.
For India, the talks were led by Maj Gen Abhijit Bapat, who is expected to carry forward the conversation on other issues.
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Army officials said the Indian toll remains at 20, which includes Colonel Santhosh Babu, the commanding officer of 16 Bihar.
India Bolsters Defences The injured soldiers are recovering, and a majority are expected to rejoin duties in a few days. “All personnel who were part of the Galwan Valley operations are accounted for and no one is missing,” official sources said, addressing concerns that some soldiers had gone missing after the skirmish.
China has not officially revealed its casualties, but Indian Army sources said that over 40 stretchers were observed taking away the incapacitated on the other side after the clash.
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External affairs minister S Jaishankar had described the assault by People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as “pre-meditated”, during his telephonic conversation with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday.
India, however, made it clear that the way forward will be based on the consensus reached on June 6 in the corps-commander level talks.
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It had been agreed upon at the talks that local commanders will first de-escalate the situation in Galwan and then proceed for talks on the finger areas of Pangong Tso.
The finger area consists of a series of spurs that run along the high-altitude lake. China has moved more than 5 km into Indian territory and set up camps and defences at a place called Finger 4, which has effectively cut off access to a 50 sq km area that was earlier patrolled by Indian troops.
Latest satellite images suggest the Chinese deployment in the finger area includes 100 new structures, bunkers and administrative units.
Even as talks continue on defusing the situation and efforts are made to resolve the deadlock that began over six weeks ago after Chinese soldiers moved across the Line of Actual Control at several locations in eastern Ladakh, India has bolstered defences and reinforced its positions.
Indian soldiers are at forward locations throughout the border extending into Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, and not just in Ladakh, where the situation remains grim at the finger area along Pangong Tso and Galwan.
The navy, which has been authorised to move ships as it deems suitable to the Mallaca Strait or other locations in the Indian Ocean Region to block possible Chinese moves, has also activated assets.
The air force is on standby for transport of supplies to troops deployed in eastern Ladakh and support missions, as needed, along the border.
