Indian Army salutes its valiant soldiers, says their supreme sacrifice will not go in vain

The Indian Army on Wednesday saluted the supreme sacrifice of the valiant soldiers at the Galwan Valley in Ladakh during the standoff between India and China and asserted that their sacrifices will not go in vain. The Army also offered its deepest condolences to the families and vowed to stand strong towards protecting the sovereignty and integrity of India. 

The Indian Army had said that 20 of its soldiers were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops during a face-off in Galwan on June 15 night. This is the biggest ever military confrontation between the two armies in over five decades. In a statement, the Army had said that almost the same number of Chinese troops have been killed during the clashes in the Galwan Valley.

General MM Naravane #COAS & all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of our valiant soldiers at #Galwan. We offer deepest condolences to the families & stand strong in our resolve towards protecting the sovereignty & integrity of our country. Their sacrifices will not go in vain. pic.twitter.com/SC3zYL75c1 — ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) June 17, 2020

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the Indian Army said, "General MM Naravane COAS & all ranks salute the supreme sacrifice of our valiant soldiers at Galwan. We offer deepest condolences to the families & stand strong in our resolve towards protecting the sovereignty & integrity of our country. Their sacrifices will not go in vain."

"Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020. 17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand-off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20. The Indian Army is firmly committed to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation," read the official release of the Indian Army on June 16.

Earlier on Wednesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh grieved the death of the Army personnel asserting that the loss of soldiers during a face-off in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh "is deeply disturbing and painful".

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Singh said that the soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army. He added that the nation will never forget their bravery and sacrifice. 

Extending his sympathies to the families of the martyred soldiers, Singh said that the nation stands shoulder to shoulder with them in this difficult hour. 

"The loss of soldiers in Galwan is deeply disturbing and painful. Our soldiers displayed exemplary courage and valour in the line of duty and sacrificed their lives in the highest traditions of the Indian Army," Singh tweeted.

"The Nation will never forget their bravery and sacrifice. My heart goes out to the families of the fallen soldiers. The nation stand shoulder to shoulder with them in this difficult hour. We are proud of the bravery and courage of India’s breavehearts," he also tweeted.