Ajay Banerjee
New Delhi, January 15
For the third time in four days, Army Chief General MM Naravane made a statement defending the sanctity of the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC).
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The Army will remain central to securing the national interests as India grows in stature and strength. Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister
In his address at the Army Day parade here, General Naravane said, “Our message is clear, the Army will stall any effort to unilaterally change the status quo at the boundary.” This third successive reference made it clear that the LAC cannot be altered by force. The LAC is the de facto boundary with China along the Himalayas and is not demarcated.
In a message broadcast on Friday night, the General said, “We stand firm to counter any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo along borders.” On January 12, he had said, “No status quo (at the LAC) can be changed with force.” India has in the past officially said that China made a unilateral attempt in April/May 2020 to alter the LAC. Both countries have their own perception where the LAC runs hence the dispute. A military stand-off has ensued in the past 20 months and the Army Chief’s words come at time when the 14th round of talks between military commanders failed to resolve all points of friction along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.
This morning at the parade, the Army Chief said the two armies have disengaged at several places and termed it as “a positive step”. He added, “We continue to work to resolve the existing issue on basis of mutual security.”
Asserting that the morale of our troops was high, he said, “Patience is the outcome of our self-confidence, none should try and test it.”
New combat uniform
The Army on Saturday unveiled a new combat uniform that is comfortable, climate-friendly and features a digital disruptive pattern. A contingent of commandos, wearing the new uniforms, took part in a parade.