India did accepted that.
But only in phased manner.
Firstly they said 4-5 calamity including officer.
Then they said more casualty and then they finally accepted 20.
GoI cannot make claims w/o 100% confirmation. Imagine they declare someone dead going by 'udti khabar', media goes to town with the news, family gets wind of it.. someone dies of a heart attack.. someone commits suicide.. and the guy turns out to be alive.
Do you even know how many people have namesakes in a company, let alone a battalion?
The body has to be found and it has to be identified in order for it to be accepted as a casualty, even if it is an accident. The process is long and largely fool proof to avoid speculation and litigation at a later date.
Can't go to town claiming 'Aswathama mar gaya... Aswathama mar gaya...'. Ghar waale gaand faad denge.
A soldier is considered missing/missing in action till his body is found. He is declared dead only after a certain number of years have passed and there is absolutely no news of him. Even warring nations or states with strained relationships inform each other when they have a man from the other side in their custody unless they take a special interest in the man.