As the de-escalation process was reportedly underway, border tensions between India and China spiked after the worst clash in almost five decades in Ladakh's Galwan valley, which is in the edge of the disputed Aksai Chin area, controlled by China but claimed by both countries.

More details have been emerging from the incident a day after it first got reported. Initially, India’s military said only three Indian troops had been killed in the clash. But late on 16 June, a military spokesman said that 17 other Indian soldiers had succumbed to the injuries sustained in the clash, raising the death toll to 20.

Indian news agency ANI reported that Indian intercepts revealed 43 Chinese soldiers had been killed or seriously injured although Chinese media did not reveal the number of casualties on its side.

But as the Indian troops were involved in the violent face off, in a significant development in Pakistan, all services chiefs made a "rare" visit to the ISI headquarters together for a briefing on national security.

What could Pakistan possibly be up to at a point where India is engaged with China at the LAC? Is India prepared to deal with both fronts opening up?

Producer and Host: Shorbori Purkayastha Guests: (Retired) Lt Gen AK Singh Manoj Kewalramani, Fellow of China Studies at The Takshashila Institution Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation Editor: Shelly Walia

References:

Services chiefs attend rare briefing at ISI headquarters

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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