For the first time, China accepts Indian soldiers killed their PLA soldiers in Galwan Valley
After staying in denial for more than three months Chinese tabloid reveals what was already known to the world. Chinese government-backed The Global Times reports many of the PLA soldiers fought till their last breath in the Galwan Valley clash.
Hu Xijin, Editor-in-Chief of The Global Times even paid tribute to the martyrs describing them as brave and fearless.
Most of the Chinese soldiers who were killed by the Indian soldiers were reported being in the age group of 20 to 30. While describing India as the aggressor, the tabloid claimed that the morale of the PLA soldiers is high and that they are fully prepared for any eventuality. However, it still refused to disclose the exact number of their soldiers that were killed in the battle.
On June 15, after an agreement was reached to disengage each other’s troops from the frontline, Col B Santosh Babu of Bihar Regiment went on to remove the tents erected by PLA troops within the Indian territory. However, breaking all agreements, Chinese soldiers fiercely attacked Indian troops leading to the death of 20 Indian soldiers. US intelligence reports indicate Chinese casualties to be in the range of 35 to 50.
What took China so long to admit was the fact that it is actually shameful to accept that their soldiers died while trying to fight the ‘supposedly’ weaker Indian Army. However, increasing domestic compulsions must have tied the government’s hands as dead soldiers cannot be hidden under the rug. News of their death must have been conveyed to the families of the martyrs. From there on such news is bound to trickle down to other family members and friends and finally to rest of the population.
The Modi government has also been under lots of pressure for not countering the Chinese aggression. Like Chinese government, Modi government too has tried to hide the details of the clash but satellite images and independent military reports have already revealed that around of 1000 sq km of Indian territory has been captured by China since May this year.
With the revelation of dead Chinese soldiers, even Xi Jinping is now expected to feel the pressure from his domestic constituents.
Both leaders have their nationalistic images to protect and cannot be seen as the weaker one. This has created the perfect tinder box which now requires just one small spark to start a full-fledged conflict between two nuclear powers.
