Chief of the Army Staff Gen MM Naravane (second from left) with Lt-Gen YK Joshi, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, and Lt-Gen Harinder Singh, GOC, Fire and Fury Corps, in Leh on Tuesday. Tribune photo
Arun Joshi
Tribune News Service
Jammu, June 23
Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, who landed in Leh on Tuesday within a couple of hours of the reports that India and China had reached an agreement for the peaceful disengagement on the LAC, started assessment of the standoff situation and the talks from the word go.
General Naravane’s two-day visit is essentially focused to gauge the ground situation in the wake of the standoff between the Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC as some reports have suggested that the PLA troops have entrenched themselves on the Indian side with tents, arms and ammunition.
With Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian having confirmed that the two sides had agreed to disengage at his press briefing on Tuesday, the Army Chief interacted with commanders, including Corps Commander of the 14 Corps Lieut-Gen Harinder Singh.
Sources said he sounded cautiously optimistic and asked the troops to stay alert to the maximum until things eased on the ground.
His visit started with an interaction with the soldiers injured in the June 15 clash with the Chinese troops. He lauded their exemplary bravery in resisting the attempts by the Chinese troops to unilaterally alter the LAC in Galwan Valley and vowed all help to them.
The sources said that the Army Chief would have a relook at everything from the operational preparedness to permanent heightened vigil on this border.