China has deployed its troops in considerable numbers all
across Eastern Ladakh and Northern front right up to our Eastern command, Indian
Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said on Monday.
General Naravane, who visited forward areas in eastern Ladakh
to review the prevailing security situation, said there has been an increase in
Chinese troop deployment in the forward areas and it remains a matter of
concern for India.
"We're regularly monitoring all their movements. Based on inputs we get, we're also carrying out matching developments both in infrastructure as well in terms of troops that are needed to counter any threat," the Army said. At the moment, "India is well poised to meet any eventuality," Naravane said.
Naravane said the situation over the last 6 months has been quite normal. "We're hopeful of having the 13th round of talks in the second week of October and reach a consensus on how disengagement will take place.
"By and by all friction points will get resolved. I am of the firm opinion that we can resolve our differences through dialogue. I am hopeful we will be able to achieve results," said General Naravane.
The visit comes a day after Naravane said India and China will continue
to have border incidents till the two countries reach a boundary agreement
while stressing that the armed forces were well-prepared to tackle any
"misadventure" on the Line of Actual Control.
Talking about Pakistan, the Army chief said
there were no ceasefire violations by the Pakistani army from February till
June-end. "But of late there've been increased infiltration attempts that
weren't supported by ceasefire violations. In 10 days, there've been 2
ceasefire violations. The situation is regressing to pre-February days,"
he said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army has deployed the
first Indian-made K9-Vajra self-propelled howitzer regiment in the Ladakh
sector along the Line of Actual Control with China. The gun can strike enemy
targets at around 50 km with 47-kg bomb.
Speaking on the performance of K-9 VAJRA Self-Propelled Artillery, the Army chief said, "These guns can also work in high-altitude areas, field trials were extremely successful. We have now added an entire regiment, this will be really helpful."
The first 10 of these guns were imported from Hanwha Techwin of South Korea in semi-knocked-down state and were assembled by Armored Systems Complex of Larsen and Toubro in India.
'Pakistan's
Army officers deployed in Chinese PLA's Western and Southern Theatre Command'
Amid Ladakh standoff, Indian newspapers Friday quoted intelligence sources as saying Pakistan Army officers are being deployed in the formation headquarters of China's People Liberation Army (PLA) as part of an intelligence-sharing arrangement between the two countries.
Pakistan Liaison Officers have been posted in the headquarters of China's Western Theatre Command and Southern Theatre Command, the sources added.
The PLA's critical Western Theatre Command takes care of the country's borders with India, along with Xinjiang and the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Southern Theatre Command of the PLA takes care of the special administrative regions of Hong Kong, Macau, among others.
Despite the ongoing disengagement between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control, a large number of Chinese troops from this command continue to be deployed in the eastern Ladakh region, government sources have told News18.
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