Indian soldiers gave 'as good as they got' to PLA in Galwan, says former Army Chief Naravane

General (Retd) Manoj Mukund Naravane. File Pic/PTI

Indian Army has given "as good as they got" to the Chinese People's Liberation Army during Galwan clash that occurred in 2020, said General (Retd) Manoj Mukund Naravane, former Indian Army chief.

Naravane's response was in reply to a question on what were his thoughts for those soldiers who died in the Galwan valley skirmish.

"Every man is your man -- your son or daughter. So any such information of (lives lost) or news that comes, obviously you will feel a little saddened...," Naravane told ANI editor Smita Prakash in the video podcast.

"But on the other hand you also feel that yes what they have done is in the line of duty and they have certainly given as good as they got. And that is actually the fact whether PLA admits it or not or Chinese admit it or not. They also gave it back to enemy and of course in any such clash or battle or war, casualties will happen on either side. That's part of the game if we can say so," the former Army chief said.

The former Army chief's views assume significance as he was the Army chief when the Galwan skirmish took place in the summer of 2020, where both sides suffered casualties.

In a follow-up question, on being asked what happened at that stage or whether any negotiations took place regarding handing back the bodies of soldiers to India, Naravane said subsequent flag meets that were held led to the return of the bodies of the Indian soldiers.

"Of course, once the clash has happened, temperatures have cooled down both literally and in actual fact...The clash is always in the heat of the moment and later on the flag meetings were held (between DGMOs and on the ground). We of course facilitated those flag meetings through our official channels, including the diplomatic channels," Naravane explained.

On the latest clash in Yangtse sector along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh, he said it is one such area where the Chinese keep trying to come over across the river.

Forces expect this every year and are "very well prepared to thwart it," he said.

Also Read: 3 Indian Army units involved in face-off thwarted PLA aggression: Sources

"We are on a tactically advantageous position and it's impossible for them to come. But yet year after year they keep attempting the same thing and year after year they suffer injuries. Of course, in the bargain, we also suffer some injury. But they have always been at the receiving end. They make two-to-three such attempts every year and the last one is normally before the onset of winter before the snows come as all such tactical actions would thereafter not be possible," the former Army chief said.

For the record, as recently as last week, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops tried to transgress the Line of Actual Control in the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh Tawang Sector.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops tried to transgress the Line of Actual Control in the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh Tawang Sector on December 9 (Friday) and unilaterally change the status quo but they went back to their locations due to timely intervention of Indian military commanders.

Giving a statement in the Rajya Sabha, the Defence Minister assured the Upper House that "our forces are committed to protecting our territorial integrity and will continue to thwart any attempt made on it".

He further said "the scuffle led to injuries to a few personnel on both sides", and clarified that "there are no fatalities or serious casualties on our side".

The clash near Yangtse along the LAC in the sensitive sector took place amid the over 30-month border standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh.

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