PM Modi to chair all-party meet on India-China border situation 

Twenty Indian soldiers were killed during a violent standoff between Indian Army soldiers and Chinese security personnel this week.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 5 pm.

" In order to discuss the situation in the India-China border areas, Prime Minister @narendramodi has called for an all-party meeting at 5 PM on 19th June. Presidents of various political parties would take part in this virtual meeting," PMO India tweeted.

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said the Chinese troops unilaterally attempted to change the status quo of de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh and took premeditated as well as planned action on the Indian forces resulting in casualties on both sides.

The Indian Army lost 20 soldiers in the deadly face-off with Chinese troopers on the night of June 15.

Unconfirmed reports claimed the Chinese side too suffered casualties during the fierce clash at the Galwan Valley, which is close to Aksai Chin, an area that is controlled by China but claimed by both the countries.

 According to the MEA statement, India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the LAC.

 The face-off happened even as India and China had been discussing through military and diplomatic channels the de-escalation of the situation in the border area in Eastern Ladakh.

More than four decades after the last fatality occurred during a conflict at the India-China border, at least 20 Indian personnel were killed in the 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.