The situation along the northern border is stable but at the same time is sensitive, said the Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Wednesday. He then asserted that 'whatever was done in Galwan should not get repeated', adding that the forces are ready and capable of dealing with any situation.
In his address at the 77th Army Day celebrations here, the Army chief underlined that special attention has been given to developing modern equipment and critical infrastructure at the northern border.
"We have to make sure that whatever was done in Galwan should not get repeated," he told reporters, adding, "It means our eyes and ears and a whole-of-nation approach should be focussed towards that. Whether it's a diplomatic effort or military effort or even MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs), in terms of CAPF effort, we all should converge on this issue and make sure that we do not get any such surprises in the future".
The eastern Ladakh military standoff between India and China began in May 2020 and a deadly clash at the Galwan Valley in June of that year resulted in a severe strain in ties between the two neighbouring nations.
Replying to a query regarding the situation along the northern border, the Army chief said, "The northern borders are safe because the Indian Army is sitting there with the required deployment to hold the fort".
India-China disengagement agreement:
An agreement was recently firmed between India and China on patrolling and disengagement of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, a breakthrough to end the over four-year standoff.
The move marked a significant development in the pursuit of reduced tension along the LAC in eastern Ladakh since the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
The ties between the two Asian giants had nosedived following the clash.
In his address at the Army Day celebrations here, the Army chief also said that ceasefire is maintained along the Line of Control (LoC) but "attempts to infiltrate continue".
Sustained efforts by security forces in the inner areas of Jammu and Kashmir have resulted in a decrease in violence there.
"We will continue on the path to make the Indian Army a modern, agile, adaptable, technology-enabled, and capable force in the future," Gen Dwivedi said.
The Army chief said the 77th Army Day Parade taking place in Pune holds special importance as it has been a place of valour since the Maratha rule.
The Army Day celebration in Pune reflects "our deep link" with the heritage of the region, he added.
Pune hosted the celebrations for the first time. The Army Day Parade (ADP) took place at Bombay Engineers Group (BEG) and Centre here which comes under the Army's Southern Command.
Also read: Pune hosting 77th Army Day parade with tech and tradition
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