20 Indian soldiers, along with a Colonel, killed in Chinese attack; 43 Chinese soldiers killed in the encounter

New Delhi: China, who backstabbed India in 1962, once again betrayed India launching an attack in which 20 Indian soldiers were martyred. On Monday night, the Chinese soldiers feigning withdrawal from the Galwan Valley launched an attack with iron rods, sticks and stones. Colonel Santosh Babu, Havildar Palani and Constable Kundan died on the spot and 17 other soldiers, grievously hurt in the attack succumbed to their injuries. Soldiers from both the countries were withdrawing from the Galwan valley in accordance to the talks between the senior military officials from both the countries. But the Chinese soldiers launched a surprise attack on the Indian soldiers. The alerted Indian soldiers retaliated, but the Indian soldiers were much lesser in number. But the situation changed after receiving reinforcements and 43 Chinese soldiers were killed in the encounter that ensued.

China has put the blame on India for the encounter. Chinese foreign ministry said that the Indian soldiers intruded into the Chinese territory and 5 Chinese soldiers were killed and 11 were injured in the conflict that followed. The Chinese foreign ministry made an inciting demand that it is necessary for the Indian soldiers on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to exhibit restraint. Whereas, the Indian foreign ministry has given a controlled reaction by warning that the conflict is the result of Chinese efforts to change the situation on the LAC. Following this Chinese attack, a high-level security meeting was held, which was attended by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Chief General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RK Bhadauria. Thereafter, the Defence Minister briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the conflict. There is a rage of anger in the country against China, responsible for the martyrdom of 20 Indian soldiers. There is a spontaneous demand from the Indian people that there has to be a retaliation against China, who has betrayed India once again. This was reflected in the social media.

The Chinese soldiers attacked the Indian soldiers with rods, sticks and stones. No military in the world fights in this fashion. The former military officers are suggesting that there has to be retaliation with bullets, as an officer of the rank of a major has been killed in the attack. 20 Indian and 43 Chinese soldiers were killed in the conflict. The morale of the Indian soldiers has been lifted due to this. Former military officials are claiming that now China will have to withdraw on Indian terms. Military analysts are warning that China will face severe consequences of this attack. At the same time, it is being reported that talks have started between senior officials from both the countries to ensure that the situation on the border does not fester further.

It is reported that China has taken the corpses of its soldiers from the Galwan Valley area in helicopters. But China has not revealed information regarding the soldiers killed in the conflict on the official level. There is no possibility of China revealing this information. The Indian analysts are trying to infer as to what can be the strategy behind this surprise attack. The Indian retaliation following the Chinese intrusion in the Galwan valley was unexpected for China, and the readiness of the Indian Army and Airforce to retaliate all along the Indo-Chinese border from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh has upset China. The Indian airstrip at the Daulat Beg Oldi base and the infrastructure development initiated by India in the border regions is pricking in the Chinese eyes. China also has lost sleep over the reports that India is preparing to take over Pakistan Occupied Kashmir soon. China is concerned that the investments of billions of dollars, made in POK under the CPEC scheme, and the control of Aksai Chin, will come under threat after the Indian occupation.

Against this background, China launched this surprise attack, intending to teach India a lesson. The second wave of Coronavirus has hit China, and the lockdown has been imposed in eight main cities, including capital Beijing. This is an embarrassment for China, who had claimed victory over Coronavirus. At the same time, there is tremendous discontent against China, who is responsible for the Coronavirus pandemic. International anger is raging against China over the issues like action against protestors in Hong Kong, Taiwanese independence and the inciting activities in the South China Sea. The Chinese people also are fed-up with the autocracy of the communist party, tyrant systems, corruption and unemployment in the country. For once, the internal political resistance is increasing in China, cornering Chinese President Xi Jinping. Three US aircraft carriers are entering the regions of Chinese influence and posing challenges to China. In this scenario, China seems to have risked this conflict to divert the attention of the world and its people from the other more critical issues.

But it is becoming clear that this Chinese ploy will boomerang on China. This will make the Indian stand more aggressive, and the Indian decision-making process also will become quicker. China not having support from any other country in the world, except Pakistan and North Korea, will find it increasingly difficult to face the political, economic and military front developing against it and becoming stronger by the day. Therefore, this Chinese decision taken against India could prove suicidal. China also is aware of this to a certain extent, and thus, the Chinese soldiers used rods, sticks and stones to attack the Indian soldiers instead of ammunition. China could not show the courage of directly opening a military front on this occasion. This goes to show the Indian might and Chinese limitations.