At least 40 Chinese soldiers have died in the India-China stand-off which took place earlier this week in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley, stated a government minister as both the countries chose to remain locked in a confrontation on the frontline. 20 Indian soldiers attained martyrdom and at least 76 were injured, while China is officially yet to confirm the number of casualties caused in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) due to the hand-to-hand face-off, that took place in the valleys of western Himalayas.
V. K. Singh, minister for roads and transport, the government of India told TV News24 in an interview that China has never in the past accepted any casualties caused during a war, including the 1962 war with India. “If 20 were martyred on our (Indian) side, then there would have been at least double the casualties on their (China) side,” he added.
Singh, who is also former army chief, predicted that at least 40 soldiers of PLA have died in this face-off, but didn’t provide any evidence to back his statement up. He also mentioned that the Indian Army sent back the Chinese troop who had trespassed into India’s territory during the stand-off.
Bhushan Babu, spokesperson of India’s Ministry of Defense refused to comment on the claims Singh made in the interview.
Both India and China, on Saturday, accused each other of violating their shared de facto border area, which turned into a violent site, witnessing one of the most dangerous face-offs to have taken place in the new decade. Mike Pompeo, the Secretary of State of the United States, criticized China for taking forward the border tension with its neighbor.
Global Times, a Chinese state controlled media outlet earlier said that there have been casualties in the Chinese PLA army but did not confirm any number.
