Gen. Bipin Rawat says, India won’t recognize or tolerate moving of LAC in the Himalayas

Last updated on February 20th, 2023 at 01:27 pm

On Friday, the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) Gen. Bipin Rawat strongly stated that India won’t recognize any shifting of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and unrestrained strategic military actions at the border. 

He added that escalating into a bigger clash won’t be tolerated,” as India and China held the eighth round of Corps Commander talks at Chushul in endeavors to settle the continuous deadlock.

Since May, India, and China have been stuck in strained military tension along Himalayan borders. The continuous strains at the borders could prompt a more extensive clash. 

On May 10, Indian and Chinese soldiers were occupied with a cross-border conflict in Sikkim. After, a month of developed strain, tensions began at the Galwan Valley.

In September, unarmed combat and scuffle took place after 40 years between the two sides. Both nations have blamed each other for the stand-offs and termed it as a short-term and temporary episode. 

The relations between the two nations became sourer in mid-April when India imported around 1,000,000 covid-19 rapid test kits from China to expand tests since the virus surge. When the initial kits arrived and were used, there were reports about the glitch in the kits. 

After ICMR assessed the kits, India chose to return the consignment and cancel the rest of the order from China, which triggered another row between the two nations. 

On Sept 3, India announced a ban on 118 Chinese apps, including the mainstream game PUBG, and TikTok pointing towards national security threat and data security of consumers, taking the total number of Chinese applications to 224. India’s move came during new border tensions between China in eastern Ladakh. 

Gen. Rawat stated at a webinar by the National Defense College that “Our pose is apparent we will not take any shifting of the Line of Actual Control. 

Discussing the incident in Eastern Ladakh, he said it continues to be tense and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was confronting “unforeseen results” of its disappointment in Ladakh on account of Indian defense troops firm and solid reaction. 

After the progress on the South Bank of Pangong Tso (lake) in August, when the Indian Army held a few overwhelming features that were lying abandoned, China had been squeezing for examining South Bank first and other contention regions later. 

However, this is the primary round of talks with the Indian side that was led by Lt. Gen. P.G.K. Menon, who accede the 14 Corps Commander on October 13. He also attended the last two rounds of discussions. 

Gen. Rawat stated that India is confronted with a bunch of external security challenges. Consistent friction with two atomic-powered neighbors with whom India had battled wars. 

However, progressively acting in the collusion, represents an inescapable risk of regional strategic uncertainty with potential for heightening, undermining our strategic cohesion and national integrity, Rawat added. 

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