The ongoing tension between India and China at the Line of Actual Control took a turn for the worse, when a scuffle in the Galwan valley escalated into a violent standoff, with hundreds of soldiers involved from both sides. While there are no exact figures about the amount of casualties suffered on both the sides, primary reports indicate that at least 3 Indians have died, including 1 officer, while the Chinese side was left with 5 soldiers dead and 11 seriously injured. The exact details are yet to come, and some are of the opinion that the casualties might be more than expected.
These developments took place amidst the talks of de-escalation at Galwan Valley, where the Chinese troops had infiltrated deep into the Indian territory by the month of May. However, a curious aspect about the entire episode is that the story was revealed first by the Indian armed forces, and not the Chinese side. When the reports of Chinese side suffering casualties as well emerged on social media and beyond, the Chinese, unlike Pakistan, did not deny the fact at all. Rather, they played the victim card, accusing India of infiltrating their territory and being the aggressor.
The Editor in Chief of Global Times, Hu Xjin, said, “Based on what I know, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, don’t be arrogant and misread China’s restraint as being weak. China doesn’t want to have a clash with India, but we don’t fear it.”
This gives a clear indication of the retaliation that China has suffered, which was like a bolt from the blue for them. China had attacked India under the hangover of the 1962 war, and was under the impression that the Indian soldiers would merely be sitting ducks. However, they had clearly forgotten that the loss of 1962 was nothing but an unequal thrashing for our Indian soldiers, and in a fair fight, like the one fought in 1967, the Indian forces had pummeled them black and blue at Nathu La and Cho La, to the extent that even the Chinese were forced to admit that they had lost 400 Chinese soldiers in comparison to the 88 Indian soldiers who were martyred in the war.
Now, if we have a close look at the current situation, it seems that India almost made China relive the horrors of 1967 with its fierce retaliation. Even if we go by the initial numbers, the casualties suffered by China is not a joke at all. China has been getting shocks after shocks, as despite its persistent bullying and fear mongering, India is not ready to bow down at all to the expansionist PLA.
The way China has been forced to retreat on this issue is quite reflective from Hu Xjin’s current tweet, who tweeted, “Chinese side didn’t release number of PLA casualties in clash with Indian soldiers. My understanding is that the Chinese side doesn’t want people of the two countries to compare the casualties number so to avoid stoking public mood. This is goodwill from Beijing”
Chinese side didn’t release number of PLA casualties in clash with Indian soldiers. My understanding is the Chinese side doesn’t want people of the two countries to compare the casualties number so to avoid stoking public mood. This is goodwill from Beijing.
— Hu Xijin 胡锡进 (@HuXijin_GT) June 16, 2020
The current situation has proved it once again – India won’t back down, come what may. Even when the Indian forces were defending the Bhutanese territory at Doklam in 2017, it was India who had the last laugh. Since the past few years, India has been quite assertive in the military exercises with China. Going by the way China backstabbed India in context to the current situation in the Galwan valley, it looks like China is back to its old tricks once again. However, the way India has retaliated, it looks like China attacked India under the impression that India is the same like 1962, but it got a thrashing that was completely unexpected, and out of the blue.
