Twenty Indian soldiers including a Colonel were killed in a "violent face-off" on Monday night with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh.

The incident follows weeks of rising tension and the deployment of thousands of extra troops from both India and China.

The Indian Army in a statement said during the de-escalation process in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties on both sides.

Meanwhile, China, confirming the incident, said that Indian soldiers crossed the disputed border between the two countries.

Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Indian troops crossed the border line twice, provoking and attacking Chinese personnel, resulting in serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides.

The standoff between Beijing and New Delhi was triggered by India’s unprecedented construction of roads and air strips in the area.