New satellite images show Chinese structures in Galwan Valley: Report

On June 15, twenty Indian soldiers were killed in a deadly conflict with the Chinese military at the Galwan Valley, which is close to Aksai Chin, an area that is controlled by China but claimed by both the countries.

Unconfirmed reports claim that the Chinese side too suffered about 45 casualties.

After the incident, in order to defuse tension at the LAC, the Corps Commander level talks between India and China were held at Moldo in a cordial, positive and constructive atmosphere on Jun 22.

There was a mutual consensus to disengage from all friction areas in eastern Ladakh and the modalities for the same were discussed.

However, in freshly procured satellite images, shelters or accommodation could be seen constructed along the rock-face leading up the LAC. These were absent earlier in the satellite image of May 22.

''There are clear signs of an incursion around Patrol Point 14. These appear to be defensive formations by the Chinese on our side of the Line of Actual Control,'' NDTV quoted Major General Ramesh Padhi (retd.) as saying, who was one of India's foremost cartographers and retired as Additional Surveyor General of India.

NDTV also reached out to the Army and the Ministry of External Affairs for comment. "We are looking into it," government sources told the channel.

The images in Galwan, obtained by NDTV from Maxar, show that for the first time, culverts have been constructed over the Galwan river less than a kilometre from the LAC with parts of the Chinese track appearing to be black-topped.

The culvert's location appears near the spot where bulldozers in earlier images showed to have stopped the flow of the waters of the Galwan river. The new images of June 22 show a resumption in the flow of the waters of the Galwan under the culvert which has been constructed.