Dharamshala, India —  Leading Tibetan NGOs said the Tibetan community stood by India and condemned China’s aggression on the Indian territory. At least 20 soldiers, including a Commanding Officer, lost their lives in the Galwan Valley, Ladakh, on Monday. This is one of the deadliest Chinese attacks on the Indian Army in 45 years.

The five prominent Tibetan groups including Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT), Gu-Chu-Sum Movement Association of Tibet and the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA), said they stand in solidarity with India and strongly condemn China over recent India-Tibet border clash.

The Tibetan groups jointly held a joint press conference on Thursday to condemn China for the recent attack at the Indo-Tibet border.

“As we pay tribute to the courage of the Indian soldiers and offer our condolences to the bereaved families, we call on world leaders and their government to stand with India against this illegal aggression by Chinese troops on Indian soil and work together to counter China’s expansionism” read the joint statement.

“We pay tribute to the martyrs and offer our condolences to the bereaved families. We call upon world leaders and governments to support India against the aggression by Chinese troops and work together to counter China’s expansionism,” the NGOs said.

Over 1.2 million Tibetans had died as a result of China’s occupation of Tibet. However, they had never wavered in their struggle against the occupation of their homeland, they said, adding: It was high time India recognised Tibet as an independent country occupied by China.