No one should try to test our patience: Army chief on Ladakh standoff

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 15

Army Chief General MM Naravane, in a clear message to China, on Friday said no one should commit the mistake of testing our army’s patience.

He termed the last year as “challenging” in view of the threat posed by China.

The attempt to alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) had been responded to in a befitting manner, said Gen Naravane while delivering the Army Day address at the Parade Ground in Delhi Cantt.

“I want to assure the country that the sacrifice of the Galwan Valley martyrs will not go in vain,” he added.

India and China have been locked in a standoff along the 826-km LAC in Eastern Ladakh since early May 2020.

India, he said, is committed to resolving the row through military and diplomatic talks. There have been eight rounds of talks between senior military commanders. He said that despite the bone-chilling cold and a difficult terrain, the morale of the soldiers deployed in forward areas in the Ladakh sector was higher than the mountains they were defending.

On the situation along the Line of Control with Pakistan, the Army chief said 300 to 400 terrorists are present in camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and are waiting to sneak into India. Pakistan is adamant on using terrorism as state policy, he said.

President Ramnath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat have extended their wishes on Army Day.