India, China
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on the violent face-off and accused that “the Chinese side took pre-meditated and planned action that was directly responsible for the resulting violence and casualties.”
He warned that “this unprecedented development will have a serious impact on the bilateral relationship” and urged Beijing to “take corrective steps”.
The Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement that Wang demanded “India conduct a thorough investigation” and punish those responsible.
“The Indian side must not misjudge the current situation, and must not underestimate China’s firm will to safeguard its territorial sovereignty,” it added.
But the two ministers also sought to de-escalate tensions.
China said both sides agreed to “cool down the situation on the ground as soon as possible”.
India’s foreign ministry said the two sides would implement a previously agreed disengagement, and “neither side would take any action to escalate matters”.
Official sources said front-line bases of the Indian Army and the Air Force along the nearly 3,500 km de-facto border with China were put on high alert, reported PTI.
The Indian Navy has also been asked to raise its alert level in the Indian Ocean Region where Chinese Navy has been making regular forays.
The decision to raise the alert level of the three defence forces were taken at a high-level meeting Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs, our New Delhi correspondent said.
The army has already rushed in additional troops to all its key front-line bases and formations along the de facto border in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh states, they said.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV, meanwhile, showed footage of People’s Liberation Army tanks and soldiers holding live fire drills in Tibet.
China has refused to confirm if it suffered any casualties in the first deadly clashes at the border in decades, although Indian media said more than 40 Chinese troops were killed or seriously hurt.
‘APPROPRIATE RESPONSE’
The incident, which took place Monday at around 4,500 metres (15,000 feet) up in the Galwan valley area dominated Indian news channels and inflamed social media in both countries.
“Gloves are off, with the Galwan valley clash, China pushed too hard,” the Times of India wrote in an editorial. “India must push back.”
Small groups of protesters called for the boycott of Chinese goods, with some burning posters of Chinese president Xi Jinping.
In his first remarks on the deadly clashes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday told the nation the deaths of the soldiers “will not be in vain”.
“There should be no doubt that India wants peace, but if provoked, India will provide an appropriate response,” Modi said.
Top opposition leader and Congress party President Sonia Gandhi said that “in this time of crisis, my party stands with the army and the government. We are confident that the country will unite to face enemy.”
The Prime Minister has called an all-party meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation at the India-China border after the clashes in Ladakh. Presidents of various political parties will participate in the meeting on Friday via video, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
‘VIOLENT HAND-TO-HAND SCUFFLES’
The Monday’s clashes reportedly involved intense hand-to-hand fighting but no gunfire, in line with longstanding practices aimed at avoiding a full military confrontation.
An Indian army source told AFP there were “violent hand-to-hand scuffles”, while media said that Chinese troops attacked with rods and nail-studded clubs. Many of these killed appear to have been punched or shoved off a ridge onto rocks and into an icy river below.
Post-mortem examinations on some of those killed showed that the “primary reason for death is drowning and it looks like they fell from a height into the water because of head injuries,” an official told AFP.
Sources said yesterday that six Indian soldiers were still missing. Both sides have given competing versions of the violence.