Army Releases Photos Of Soldiers Playing Cricket In Galwan A Day After EAM Jaishankar's Meet With Chinese Foreign Minister

Indian Army released photos of soldiers playing cricket in eastern Ladakh, where the two countries have been locked in a tense military standoff since May 2020.

This comes a day after the meeting between Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang in New Delhi, on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' meet.

Though the exact location of the 'pitch' was not disclosed by the Indian Army, satellite imagery experts indicate it to be less than 5 kilometers away from the site of the deadly clash in the Galwan Valley.

"Patiala Brigade Trishul Division organised a cricket competition in extreme high altitude area in Sub zero temperatures with full enthusiasm and zeal. We make the impossible possible," the Fire and Fury Corps, under the Northern Command, said on Twitter after releasing the photos.

The release of these photos a day after the meeting between Jaishankar and Qin could be a not-so-subtle signal to China.

"Our discussions were focused on addressing current challenges to the bilateral relationship, especially peace and tranquillity in the border areas," Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting.

Over the past two years, as the Indian Army negotiated a phased withdrawal of troops from the standoff site with China, the political leadership has emphasized that the relationship with China will not be normalized until peace and tranquility are restored.