PM Narendra Modi in Ladakh on surprise visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Ladakh on Friday where he was briefed on the tense Sino-Indian stand-off by top officials of the Indian Army. The Prime Minister also met soldiers injured in the June 15 Galwan Valley crash and paid tributes to them.

Reacting to the PM's visit to Ladakh, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said "India & China are in communication and negotiations on lowering the temperatures through military & diplomatic channels. No party should engage in any action that may escalate the situation at this point"

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This was the first visit by the Prime Minister to the areas close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since the beginning of the standoff in April.

Early on Friday morning, he reached one of the forward locations in Nimu and interacted with the personnel of the Army, Air Force and ITBP.

Lt Gen Harendra Singh, GOC of the 14 Corps who led the Indian team for the three rounds of talks with commanders of the People's Liberation Army, China, briefed the Prime Minister.

Located at 11,000 feet, Nimu is among the tough terrains, surrounded by the Zanskar range and on the banks of the Indus.

For nearly two months, the troops from India and China have been locked in a tense face-off at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh including Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso and Depsang Bulge.

The face-off led to a violent clash on June 15 in which 20 Indian soldiers including their commanding officer and a significant number of Chinese troops were killed.

The two sides discussed a peaceful de-escalation plan thrice but the troop presence in eastern Ladakh has not thinned so far. Both nations have increased their men, firepower and wherewithal on either side of the LAC.

Earlier it was decided that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh would visit Leh on Friday. But his visit was cancelled at the eleventh hour.