The night of June 15-16 saw the bloodiest the face-off between India and China in the last twenty years. Reports from Ladakh's Galwan area suggest that Chinese PLA forces were prepared to carry a pre-planned attack and were carrying nailed sticks to cause severe damage to the Indians. These are the same weapons that were used by Chinese troops against Indian troops in the Ladakh area from 18 to 19 May.

Notably, in the clash with Chinese troops, 20 Indian soldiers were killed, while on the Chinese side there were around 40 casualties reported. The Chinese have also tracked Indian soldiers using drones. The Chinese outnumbered the Indian patrol staff. They were well equipped with iron bars, nailed clubs, and barbed objects that showed the attack was pre-planned. On the Chinese side, at least 200 military vehicles were seen. Both sides conducted helicopter trips to carry the wounded soldiers after midnight.

The confrontations took place after Chinese people had been ordered to move away from a place in the Galwan Valley by a treaty, but on their return, PLA troops attacked the Indian soldiers with stones which resulted in a major unarmed confrontation between the two sides. 

According to the reports, the two sides disengaged at midnight on 15 and 16 June following hours of combat with stones and iron rod, which led to heavy casualties on both sides.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that Indian soldiers' sacrifice would not go in vain. He said, "India wants peace but when provoked, India is capable of giving a fitting reply, be it any kind of situation.

"I would like to assure the nation that the sacrifice of our jawans will not be in vain. For us, the unity and sovereignty of the country are the most important.