NEW DELHI: Army Chief General M M Naravane on Friday visited forward areas in eastern Ladakh to review the prevailing security situation and operational preparedness amidst the continuing military confrontation with China in the high-altitude region.
General Naravane was also given an operational briefing at the 14 Corps headquarters at Leh by top officers there. “He interacted with the troops in forward locations in the Chushul sector and complimented them for their resoluteness and high morale,” said an officer.
The Army chief, who also visited the Rezang La war memorial to pay homage to soldiers who have laid down their lives in defence of the country, later called on Lt-governor Radha Krishna Mathur to discuss the prevailing security scenario in the Union Territory.
The visit comes a day after General Naravane on Thursday said India and China will continue to have border incidents till the two countries reach a boundary agreement while stressing that the armed forces were well-prepared to tackle any “misadventure” on the Line of Actual Control.
“Such kinds of incidents will continue to occur till such time a long-term solution is reached – that is to have a boundary agreement. That should be the thrust of our efforts so that we have lasting peace along our northern borders,” he added.
China has continued to build more permanent troops shelters as well as strengthen its military positions along the LAC ever since the military confrontation erupted in eastern Ladakh in April-May last year.
Though troop disengagement took place in the Pangong Tso-Kailash Range region in February and Patrolling Point-17A near Gogra in August, the military stalemate over the other “friction points” at Hot Springs, Demchok and the strategically-located Depsang Plains continues.
India has made it clear that troop disengagement, followed by de-induction and the consequent de-escalation, is critical for improvement in bilateral relations, but China continues to harp on separating the border row from the overall ties.