Expressing hope that the pending issues between India and China along the Line of Actual Control would be resolved soon, Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said the increase in the deployment by Chinese troops across the border was a matter of concern.
He said India had made matching deployments in terms of troops and infrastructure in its areas along the LAC and there was no way anyone would be able to behave in an aggressive manner again.
#WATCH | “…Definitely, there has been an increase in their deployment in the forward areas which remains a matter of concern for us…,” says Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane to ANI on the India-China border situation pic.twitter.com/9DRwRwZ4Ud
— ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2021
The Indian Army has deployed K-9 Vajra howitzers in Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control with China.
Built by L&T with technology transfer from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defense, the K-9 Vajra is an indigenised version of the K9 Thunder and can strike enemy targets around 50 km.
#WATCH K9-Vajra self-propelled howitzer in action in a forward area in Eastern Ladakh pic.twitter.com/T8PsxfvstR
— ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2021
Gen Naravane, who is in Ladakh for a two-day visit, said, “The situation at friction points has been normal for the past six months. The talks have been going on. We had the twelfth round of talks last month, and also hopeful of having the thirteenth round of talks, maybe by the second week of October.”
He added, “When the talks had started, people were doubtful whether talks would resolve anything, but I am of the firm opinion that we can resolve our differences with dialogue and that is what has happened in the past few months.”
The army chief said, “The Chinese have deployed (their forces) in considerable numbers across Eastern Ladakh and up to eastern command. There has been an increase in the deployment and it is a matter of concern for us. We are also carrying out matching developments in terms of infrastructure and deployment of troops. We are quite poised in order to meet any eventuality.”
With inputs from ANI