Army Chief Naravane asks troops in Ladakh to maintain high order of operational preparedness

Arun Joshi
Tribune News Service
Jammu, September 4

Army Chief Gen MM Naravane on Friday said in Ladakh that the situation along the LAC was “slightly tense” and urged all the ranks to remain vigilant and maintain a high order of “operational readiness”.

This was a message that the troops would have to be ready to foil any attempt by the Chinese to alter the LAC, as they had done before too.

India had foiled the Chinese intrusions and mischief to change the LAC at Galwan Valley and on the southern bank of Pangong Tso.

Gen Naravane during his two-day visit that concluded today visited the high-altitude frontline positions in Ladakh, where he interacted with commanders and troops to have a “first-hand assessment of the situation”, according to a spokesman of the Army who released details of the army chief’s visit of Ladakh on Friday evening.

The army chief ‘s visit had come in the wake of Chinese troops’ attempts of incursion on the south bank of Pangong Tso (lake) on the intervening night of August 29/30.

The Indian Army has made precautionary deployments for enhancing its capacity at the LAC keeping in view the continuing build-up by Chinese at the LAC.

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Gen Naravane also held a briefing session with Lt Gen YK Joshi, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command and Lt General Harinder Singh, GOC, Fire and Fury Corps on the state of operational preparedness and on the logistics arrangements for sustenance of forces in winters.

Gen Naravane said that the soldiers on the borderline were bubbling with high morale and “they are ready to deal with any situation that may arise”.

This reiteration was keeping in with his earlier statements, and that of the assertions made by the Chief of Defence Services Gen. Bipin Rawat on Thursday that the armed forces were capable of dealing with “two-front situation, alluding to China-Pakistan nexus and the anticipation that the duo may open fronts against India from their respective side”. China shares LAC with India, while Pakistan has international border and Line of Control with India.