If not for Chinese provocation, our soldiers would be alive, says India

New Delhi: After Monday night’s deadly India-China clash in the Ladakh sector that led to the deaths of at least 20 Indian Army personnel and some Chinese casualties, India on Tuesday accused China of trying to unilaterally change the status quo at the Line of Actual Control in the Galwan Valley and violating the agreement between both sides.

New Delhi said the casualties on both sides could have been avoided but for Chinese actions. The MEA said: “On the late evening and night of June 15, a violent face-off happened as a result of an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo there.”

As both sides were engaged in hectic diplomatic parleys to defuse the volatile situation, the external affairs ministry said India was “strongly committed” to ensuring its territorial integrity and asked the Chinese troops to remain on China side of the LAC to ensure peace.

Earlier on Tuesday, China claimed Indian troops had “crossed the border illegally twice and carried out provocative attacks”. Saying it had lodged “strong protests and solemn complaints” with India, the Chinese foreign ministry asked New Delhi to “restrain” its frontline troops and “not cross the border” and “provoke”.