Air Chief Marshall RKS Bhadauria on Saturday assured the nation that the India’s armed forces are determined to deliver and will “never let the sacrifice of the braves of Galwan valley go in vain”.
Speaking at the combined graduation parade at the Air Force Academy near Hyderabad, the IAF chief made it clear that India is well prepared and suitably deployed to respond to any contingency.
Security scenario in our region mandates that our armed forces remain prepared and vigilant at all times, he said and noted that the development at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh “is a small snapshot of what we are required to handle at short notice”.
He also urged the gathering to join with him in paying tributes to Colonel Santosh Babu and his brave men who made the sacrifice while defending the LAC in Galwan valley.
“The gallant actions in a highly-challenging situation have demonstrated our resolve to protect India’s sovereignty at any cost, ” IAF chief RKS Bhadauria said.
He further stated that in spite of unacceptable Chinese action after agreements reached during military talks, resulting in loss of lives, “all efforts are underway to ensure that the current situation at LAC is resolved peacefully”.
An unprecedented violent clash took place in Galwan Valley at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh with Chinese People’s Liberation Army soldiers attacking a small group of Indian Army men on patrol, resulting in fatalities which included the commanding officer of the Indian Army.
As many as 20 Indian Armymen including officers were killed in the face-off while the the Chinese side is learnt to have suffered over 40 casualties including dead and seriously injured.
According to an AFP report, the soldiers were not shot but were killed in hand-to-hand combat on Indian territory. The soldiers threw punches and stones at each other and the Chinese troops allegedly used rods and nail-studded clubs during the fight that lasted for hours until midnight on Monday.
The Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) was held to mark the successful completion of pre-commissioning training of flight cadets of various branches of Indian Air Force (IAF).
The event assumes significance as it is being held amid the ongoing tension with China.