Drass (JK), July 26: The Indian Army is capable of meeting any contingency or challenge along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan or the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, a top commander said Thursday.
He said the modernisation of armed forces was going on in a big way which had improved operational preparedness. He also described the situation in Kashmir as stable but fragile.
“I can tell you that Indian Army is fully prepared to take on any challenge along the Line of Actual Control and even along the Line of Control,” Northern Army Commander Lt General Ranbir Singh said.
In the last 19 years, as far as the modernisation of the armed forces is concerned, it is going on in a big way, he said. “We have been able to identify certain areas where we required additional focus — whether it in the form of infrastructure development close to the LoC or even on the LAC or improvement of night vision capability, surveillance capability, night fighting capability. There is a substantial improvement that has taken place in so far as ops preparedness of the armed forces is concerned,” he said.
Singh downplayed incidents of transgression along the LAC by the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) saying these happened due to differing perception.
“On a large number of occasions, there are reports that the PLA of China has carried out transgressions in various areas along the LAC. But such transgressions have always taken place in areas where we have differing perception of the LAC. We do not have a delineated LAC. Similarly, when we speak to Chinese authorities, they also refer to us having transgressed into their territory on several occasions,” he added.
The Army commander said there were well-established working mechanisms in place to resolve issues.
“We have got very well established mechanisms — whether it is hot-lines between the forward posts or flag meetings which we do or border personnel meetings. At the higher level we have got a working mechanism for consultation and coordination for border affairs. At the highest level we have special representatives of both the countries who discuss issues related to the resolution of boundary dispute and each of these mechanisms is effective,” Singh said.
“We have been able to use these mechanisms to our advantage and have been able to resolve all, even very tricky and touchy issues, with tranquility and have been able to resolve them well to meet the aspirations of the Indian Army and PLA of China,” he added.