NSA, CDS, three military chiefs attend meeting to review situation post China’s aggression
As the stand-off between India and China continues at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reviewed the situation here with the top security brass, including National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and the three Services Chiefs.
The high-level meetings took place against the backdrop of the Chinese Army adopting an aggressive attitude at the LAC and bolstering substantially its troop strength besides intruding more than three kms into the Hot Springs area of Eastern Ladakh. It has also brought forward heavy vehicles like armoured personnel carriers while the Chinese helicopters have increased aerial surveillance along the LAC.
With the LAC now “hot” for nearly a month after the Chinese transgressions and four ongoing stand-offs, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh too took stock of the ongoing tension at the LAC earlier in the day with the defence top brass. The month-long flashpoints will also be on the top of the agenda of the two-day Army Commanders conference beginning here on Wednesday.
With China coming into the Hot Springs area and its soldiers pitching tents there besides deploying more than 5,000 troops at the four face-off sites spread over a frontage of 20 to 30 km, the Prime Minister was also briefed about the steps taken by India to meet any challenge arising out of the sensitive situation at the border. The meeting between the Defence Minister and the CDS along with the three Chiefs lasted for more than an hour, sources said.
The issue of Indian and Chinese Armies coming to blows in two face-offs at Naku La, Sikkim and Pangong Tso, Ladakh as well as increased troops strength of China and the Army’s operational readiness to face the situation will figure prominently during the Army Commanders meet. It comes at a time when at least six rounds of talks between the Brigadier-rank officers of Indian and Chinese Armies to resolve the confrontation have not yielded any positive results. Diplomatic efforts are also on to defuse the situation.
The Commanders’ Conference is held twice a year and was postponed from its earlier scheduled dates in April due to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. The second leg of the conclave will be held in the last week of June, officials said here on Tuesday.
The apex level leadership of Indian Army will brainstorm on current emerging security and administrative challenges and chart the future course for Indian Army. To ensure due diligence, decisions are taken through collegiate system comprising Army commanders and senior officers.
During the first phase, which will be organised at South Block, various aspects pertaining to operational and administrative issues, including studies pertaining to logistics and human resources, will be discussed, they said.
As regards the LAC, even though the focus is on Eastern Ladakh due to ongoing face-offs, the Indian forces have also started reinforcing its positions in borders of Uttarakhand which face China besides some parts of Himachal Pradesh too as a precautionary measure, sources said.
On Ladakh, they said the Indian defence forces are fully geared to increase the troops strength besides heavy weaponry in case of any emergency. All the advanced landing grounds like Daulat Beg OIdie and others in Ladakh region are ready to accommodate extra workload of landings and take offs of heavy transport planes carrying soldiers and weapons, they added.
Moreover, the Indian Army has enhanced vigil on the 250-km long strategic road in the Galwan valley where one of the stand-offs is now on. The Chinese Army is protesting against the construction of a bridge on this road running parallel to the LAC. The road provides vastly improved connectivity to the Indian forces for mobilisation, sources said, adding the road is well within the Indian region. The two armies had fought a battle in the Galwan valley during the 1962 war.
Meanwhile, the Defence Minister also reviewed the ongoing implementation of the recommendations of the Shekatkar Committee report. The Lt General DB Shekatkar (Retired) committee had made a series of recommendations to enhance combat capability and rebalance defence expenditure of the armed forces.
Singh also held a telephonic conversation with his Australian counterpart Linda Reynolds during which they discussed areas of mutual cooperation in the global fight against the Covid pandemic. Singh also informed Reynolds on India’s contribution to international efforts against the coronavirus pandemic.
“They also agreed that India-Australia Strategic Partnership provides a good basis for both countries to work together along with other countries in this regard to deal with the post Covid-19 related challenges,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement.