'Literally melt Indian soldiers': US senator claims China used electromagnetic weapon in border clash
Hagerty called out the “pearl clutching going on here in America” over the optics of the meeting, insisting the U.S. must not overlook the deeper undercurrents of distrust between China and India.
- Sep 12, 2025,
- Updated Sep 12, 2025 6:35 AM IST
U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty has claimed that China used an “electromagnetic weapon” to “literally melt Indian soldiers” during a border clash with India, reviving concerns about Beijing’s military tactics and India’s geopolitical stance.
Hagerty, a Republican Senator from Tennessee, made the startling allegation during a discussion about U.S.-India relations, referencing a skirmish along the China-India border nearly five years ago. “They didn’t use bullets, but they used an electromagnetic weapon to literally melt Indian soldiers,” Hagerty said, referring to a reported incident during the 2020 border standoff in the Galwan Valley.
The senator’s remarks surfaced amid diplomatic unease in Washington over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appearance at a summit in Beijing, where he stood alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping. Hagerty called out the “pearl clutching going on here in America” over the optics of the meeting, insisting the U.S. must not overlook the deeper undercurrents of distrust between China and India.
“China and India have a long history of grievances,” Hagerty said, suggesting that public diplomacy cannot obscure the adversarial nature of their relationship. “International relations are a lot more than a photo opportunity,” he added.
The use of directed-energy weapons in the Himalayas has been previously reported in Chinese state media, which in 2020 claimed that non-lethal “microwave weapons” were deployed to drive Indian troops off contested high ground. However, neither India nor China officially confirmed such incidents at the time.
Senator Hagerty’s use of the phrase “literally melt” has not been substantiated by public military records or independent sources. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has not commented on Hagerty’s claim.
As tensions between the U.S., China, and India continue to evolve, Hagerty’s remarks are likely to fuel further scrutiny of military engagements in Asia and India’s positioning between rival superpowers.
U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty has claimed that China used an “electromagnetic weapon” to “literally melt Indian soldiers” during a border clash with India, reviving concerns about Beijing’s military tactics and India’s geopolitical stance.
Hagerty, a Republican Senator from Tennessee, made the startling allegation during a discussion about U.S.-India relations, referencing a skirmish along the China-India border nearly five years ago. “They didn’t use bullets, but they used an electromagnetic weapon to literally melt Indian soldiers,” Hagerty said, referring to a reported incident during the 2020 border standoff in the Galwan Valley.
The senator’s remarks surfaced amid diplomatic unease in Washington over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appearance at a summit in Beijing, where he stood alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping. Hagerty called out the “pearl clutching going on here in America” over the optics of the meeting, insisting the U.S. must not overlook the deeper undercurrents of distrust between China and India.
“China and India have a long history of grievances,” Hagerty said, suggesting that public diplomacy cannot obscure the adversarial nature of their relationship. “International relations are a lot more than a photo opportunity,” he added.
The use of directed-energy weapons in the Himalayas has been previously reported in Chinese state media, which in 2020 claimed that non-lethal “microwave weapons” were deployed to drive Indian troops off contested high ground. However, neither India nor China officially confirmed such incidents at the time.
Senator Hagerty’s use of the phrase “literally melt” has not been substantiated by public military records or independent sources. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has not commented on Hagerty’s claim.
As tensions between the U.S., China, and India continue to evolve, Hagerty’s remarks are likely to fuel further scrutiny of military engagements in Asia and India’s positioning between rival superpowers.