Army Officer, 2 Soldiers Killed at Violent Face-Off with China in Ladakh

In a "violent face-off" with Chinese soldiers on Monday night, an Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed at Galwan Valley in Ladakh, where the two sides have been ranged against each other over the past few weeks. Senior military representatives of both sides are meeting to defuse tension, according to an official statement on Tuesday.

The statement said: "During the de-escalationprocess underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterdaynight with casualties. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officerand two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currentlymeeting at the venue to defuse the situation."

Indian and Chinese soldiers have been locked in astandoff for weeks at Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldiein eastern Ladakh. A significant number of Chinese army personnel eventransgressed into the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) or thede-facto border in several areas including Pangong Tso.

After weeks of tension including an incident inwhich patrolling soldiers from the two sides came to blows on the banks ofPangong Lake, resulting in injuries, friction eased following talks.

Indian and Chinese military commanders have been intalks at the Brigade Commander and Battalion Commander level in Galwan Valleyarea and Hot Springs.

The Chinese Army had earlier pulled back its troops from the Galwan valley, PP-15, and Hot Springs in the Eastern Ladakh area. The Indian side also brought back some of its troops and vehicles from these areas.

After years of neglect Prime Minister NarendraModi's government has pushed for improving connectivity and by 2022, 66 keyroads along the Chinese border will have been built.