Indian army officer, 2 soldiers killed in ‘violent face-off’ with Chinese troops

An Indian Army officer and two soldiers were killed during a "violent face-off" with the Chinese military in the Himalayan heights of eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley last night, the Indian armed force said today.

The Indian side said there "were casualties on both sides."

The incident came even as diplomats and military commanders of India and China have been in talks on the border stand-off issue.

The face-off between militaries of India and China took place "during de-escalation process" along the unresolved border between the two countries in Ladakh region amid escalating tensions, our New Delhi correspondent reports.

A statement issued by the Indian Army today said, "During de-escalation process in Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place last night with casualties. The loss of lives on Indian side includes an officer & 2 soldiers."

It said senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation.

Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5 following a violent clash near Pangong Tso lake.

China has been opposing India's building a strategic road in the Finger area around the Pangong Tso Lake besides construction of another road connecting Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road in Galwan Valley.

The road in the Finger area in Pangong Tso is considered crucial for India to carry out patrol.

A large number of Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball situation in Galwan Valley for the last five weeks.

A few days ago, Indian Army Chief Gen MM Naravane had said in Dehradun that both sides have begun disengaging from Galwan Valley.

India and China share a border across the Himalayas stretching 3,488km and a major part of it is unresolved.

China claims the entire north-eastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, a claim India rejects.