“One shouldn’t read too much into it”
AMN / NEW DELHI
Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane today asserted that one should “not read too much into” the recent face-offs between India and China as it is “nothing of concern” and added that the Army will ensure that peace and tranquillity is maintained in the border areas.
In an interview to ZEE NEWS, General Naravane said, “As far as the situation in the northern border is concerned, I will not call it skirmishes, I would rather say it is face-offs and these faces offs have been happening in the past also, nothing new about it.”
He added that different perceptions run in these areas on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). “We patrol up to where we believe LAC is, PLA comes where they think LAC is. When we come face to face, when we come to the same place at the same time, that is when such face-offs occur. They have been occurring earlier too. It is just by chance it has occurred near-simultaneously at a number of places in Ladakh and Sikkim but we should not read too much into this, that it is not part of some coordinated nation or anything like that, it is just matter of coincidence,” the Army chief said.
“It is just something which has happened in the past and I am sure, we will be able to deal with it as and when such incidences occur. We have our various protocol in place to handle such situations and they have been successful always in defusing the situation as and when they have happened and we will continue to follow those and we ensure peace and tranquillity is maintained in the border areas,” added the Army chief.
When asked if Pakistan plans to change its terror-sponsoring strategy, he said, “I can’t comment on their policy but I can only hope, that they do change the policy and realise that the only way our two countries can prosper if we have peace amongst ourself, and we must look beyond short term gains and see what is best for the people both sides.”
Speaking on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Army Chief said, “Infiltration has increased and correspondingly the incidences which have occurred are a reflection of that but we are well poised to take on any of these stray incidents which are bound to happen. But no doubt terror launch pads and terrorist continue to be there across the Line of Control (LoC) and we are closely monitoring the situation and we will take appropriate action to make sure all these attempts are foiled.”