Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane said on Thursday that the level of troop preparedness hasn’t been blunted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
These comments come in the backdrop of a standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in North Sikkim and Eastern Ladakh in the past week.
He also said that these two incidents were localized in nature and were not related to any international developments that were deemed to have caused an increase in tensions between the two nations.
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The COAS went on to add that the Indian Army is committed to maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border regions. This was an agreement between the two nations that was signed in the year 1993.
The Border Roads Organization (BRO) under the Ministry of Defence was praised by the COAS for working tirelessly even during these times of pandemic. In recent times, connectivity to the border regions that have always troubled India has increased and many far-flung areas have been brought closer to the mainland by this organization.
Finally, the Army Chief also said that these two incidents were settled by existing border mechanisms and there was no cause for concern. He added that large parts of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) were not demarcated and hence troops guarding these areas tend to have misunderstandings and disputes.
It was only on Sunday that troops belonging to a battalion of the Assam Regiment bravely pushed back the intruding Chinese soldiers. This led to some violent clashes wherein soldiers from both sides sustained minor injuries.
Experts have warned that China is trying to divert attention domestically after being caught lying and manipulating internationally regarding their negligence with respect to COVID-19. For this purpose, they are increasing their disputes with their neighbours such as Taiwan and India.