A colonel was among the 20 soldiers killed in the line of duty on Monday. (Representational image)

New Delhi:

The Telecom department has decided to “firmly tell” the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited or BSNL not to use Chinese equipment in the upgradation of the 4G equipment. Telecom companies like Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have been working with Huawei in their current networks, while ZTE works with state-run BSNL.

The development comes amid a huge escalation in ties with China following a violent face-off at Ladakh, where 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese troops on Monday evening. This was the first time in nearly five decades that fatalities were reported at the Line of Actual Control, the de facto border with China.

Both India and China have held talks at the level of Major Generals in Galwan Valley in Ladakh, the site of a huge clash on Monday in which 20 soldiers were killed, but it remained “inconclusive”, army sources told NDTV.

The clash took place at a point called PP-14 or Patrolling Point 14 a few km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de-facto border between India and China.

A colonel was among the 20 soldiers killed in the line of duty on Monday. Their sacrifice will not be in vain, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his first comments on the Ladakh clash, warning that India “is capable of giving a fitting reply if provoked”.

About 45 Chinese soldiers were also killed or injured, said army sources.

Here are the updates on India-China face-off In Ladakh: