<p>The Indian Army on Tuesday paid homage to 20 soldiers killed in a face-off with China in Galwan Valley along the disputed border in Ladakh on this day last year.</p>.<p>20 Indian soldiers, mainly from the 16th Bihar Regiment including its commanding officer Colonel Santosh Babu, were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh on 15 June 2020.</p>.<p>The army men were killed after hand-to-hand combat broke out and eventually, hundreds of soldiers were engaged in combat using stones, batons, iron rods, and other makeshift weapons.</p>.<p>A defence spokesperson said Fire and Fury Corps paid homage to the martyrs of Galwan on the first anniversary of the violent clash. “In a solemn ceremony, Major General Akash Kaushik, COS, Fire and Fury Corps, laid a wreath at the iconic War Memorial in Leh on the occasion,” he said.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/comment/despite-a-written-agreement-to-disengage-china-is-upping-the-ante-997609.html" target="_blank">Despite a written agreement to disengage, China is upping the ante</a></strong></p>.<p>The nation will remain eternally grateful to these gallant soldiers who fought in the most difficult high altitude terrain and made the supreme sacrifice in service of the nation, the spokesperson added.</p>.<p>The killing of the soldiers had sparked a war-like situation. It was cooled down following 11 rounds of military-level talks between India and China, with both countries agreeing to de-escalate.</p>.<p>However, since then, Indian Army continues to be on high alert with its enhanced troop deployment of over 50,000 men on the ground in Ladakh. The LAC is poorly demarcated as the presence of rivers, lakes and snowcaps means the line can shift. The soldiers on either side - representing two of the world's largest armies - come face to face at many points.</p>
<p>The Indian Army on Tuesday paid homage to 20 soldiers killed in a face-off with China in Galwan Valley along the disputed border in Ladakh on this day last year.</p>.<p>20 Indian soldiers, mainly from the 16th Bihar Regiment including its commanding officer Colonel Santosh Babu, were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh on 15 June 2020.</p>.<p>The army men were killed after hand-to-hand combat broke out and eventually, hundreds of soldiers were engaged in combat using stones, batons, iron rods, and other makeshift weapons.</p>.<p>A defence spokesperson said Fire and Fury Corps paid homage to the martyrs of Galwan on the first anniversary of the violent clash. “In a solemn ceremony, Major General Akash Kaushik, COS, Fire and Fury Corps, laid a wreath at the iconic War Memorial in Leh on the occasion,” he said.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/comment/despite-a-written-agreement-to-disengage-china-is-upping-the-ante-997609.html" target="_blank">Despite a written agreement to disengage, China is upping the ante</a></strong></p>.<p>The nation will remain eternally grateful to these gallant soldiers who fought in the most difficult high altitude terrain and made the supreme sacrifice in service of the nation, the spokesperson added.</p>.<p>The killing of the soldiers had sparked a war-like situation. It was cooled down following 11 rounds of military-level talks between India and China, with both countries agreeing to de-escalate.</p>.<p>However, since then, Indian Army continues to be on high alert with its enhanced troop deployment of over 50,000 men on the ground in Ladakh. The LAC is poorly demarcated as the presence of rivers, lakes and snowcaps means the line can shift. The soldiers on either side - representing two of the world's largest armies - come face to face at many points.</p>
