Indian soldiers were melted by Chinese PLA's electromagnetic weapons: US Senator Bill Hagerty on Galwan clashes

China used electromagnetic weapons to melt Indian soldiers during the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, US Senator Bill Hagerty claimed. As per reports, the Republican senator from Tennessee didn't mention Galwan Valley as he stopped at saying border clashes between the two countries that took place five years ago. 

“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,” the senator claimed.  He was reportedly speaking during a discussion on US-India relations. 

Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) was accused of using wooden planks with nails and bats wrapped with barbed wires to brutally assault Indian soldiers at Galwan. The Indian Army reacted with force, causing multiple casualties to the PLA. Bill Hagerty's comments come at a time when New Delhi and Beijing held talks in the backdrop of Donald Trump's tarrifs.  The two neighbours  have been trying to rebuild ties and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. Trump had claimed  that the US had “lost India to darkest China,” before later calling New Delhi an important partner. 

Who is Bill Hagerty? 

Businessman-turned-politician Bill Hagerty entered office in January 2021, succeeding Senator Lamar Alexander. He served as U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 2017 to 2019 under President Donald Trump and led Tennessee’s Department of Economic and Community Development from 2011 to 2014. Before his political career, he worked in private equity and invested extensively in business ventures, signature deals, and served on several corporate boards. In the Senate, Hagerty is reportedly known for conservative positions, has taken part in key votes and campaigns on themes such as economic growth, foreign relations, and fiscal conservatism.

The Galwan incident 

The Galwan Valley, historically under Indian control, became the focal point of escalating tensions in May 2020 when China abruptly asserted its claim to the area. It started objecting to and interfering with India’s road construction activity in the Galwan Valley, resulting in a prolonged military standoff. Although both sides agreed on June 6,  2020, to a phased disengagement, the fragile truce was soon broken when Chinese troops erected an observation post on the Indian side of the LAC, in clear violation of the agreement.

On June 15, an Indian patrol was dispatched to verify the situation and seek the removal of the Chinese encampment. A regular verification mission, which could have been resolved through dialogue, turned into a violent clash with soldiers from both sides engaged in a lethal hand-to-hand fight utilising fists, stones, and improvised weapons. Colonel Santosh Babu, commanding officer of 16 Bihar Regiment, sadly lost his life during the intense confrontation. The incident resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and, by most estimates, around 40 Chinese troops—marking the deadliest clash between India and China in over four decades.