Bizarre! US Republican senator claims China used electromagnetic weapon to ‘melt Indian soldiers’ at Galwan Valley
US Senator Bill Hagerty has claimed China used an electromagnetic weapon to “melt Indian soldiers” during a border clash, possibly referring to the 2020 Galwan Valley incident. His remarks come two weeks after PM Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin.
US Republican Senator from Tennessee, Bill Hagerty, has made a bizarre claim that China used an electromagnetic weapon during a border dispute with India five years ago.
Speaking during a discussion on US-India relations, Bill Hagerty referenced a standoff along the disputed India-China border, suggesting the alleged weapon use may have occurred during the 2020 Galwan Clash. He stopped short of naming the incident directly.
Bill Hagerty said, “China and India have a long history of grievances and distrust. Barely five years ago, China and India were fighting over a disputed border, and China used an electromagnetic weapon to literally melt Indian soldiers."
Bill Hagerty's remarks come amid diplomatic unease in Washington following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. Hagerty's comments come two weeks after Modi met Xi. In his remarks, the senator tried to highlight how international relations change from time to time.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump had remarked that the US had “lost India to darkest China,” before later calling New Delhi an important partner.
Bill Hagerty's comments also follow trade tensions between the US and India. Following the hike in US tariffs by the Trump administration, both India and China have been trying to rebuild ties. In August, Trump announced a 50% tariff on goods from India, including a 25% penalty for buying Russian oil.
Galwan Valley clash
In May 2020, a standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) took place, due to which the India-China relationship plunged to its lowest point in six decades, with a military standoff.
This was the first deadly clash between the two sides on the disputed border in 45 years, dealing a severe blow to bilateral ties.
In this clash of June 15, a violent seven-hour confrontation left 20 Indian soldiers, including a commanding officer, dead. However, China didn't specify the number of casualties, but reports suggested that Chinese losses may have been more than double those of India.
