Lt Gen Devraj Anbu pins a gallantry medal on a soldier during the investiture ceremony on Thursday. Tribune Photo

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Udhampur, September 7

After the Doklam standoff between India and China recently ended, the Army is playing down the Chinese incursion by terming it a difference of perception of the Line of Actual Control.General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Northern Command, Lt Gen Devraj Anbu, who looks after the security of the 646-km-long LAC in eastern Ladakh, believes that both the sides have different perception of the LAC as it is not demarcated, which leads to face-offs.“We try to dominate those areas by patrolling and in the process we have such face-offs. But we have a very good mechanism in place on the ground right from the lower to the higher level and depending upon what sort of issue it is, we deal with it accordingly,” Lt. General Anbu said while addressing a press conference after the investiture ceremony of the Northern Command here today.Commenting on the Pangong Tso scuffle on August 15 between People’s Liberation Army men and Indian soldiers, he said the issue was resolved amicably through the already available mechanism on the ground. “There are Finger 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 positions. Finger 8 is the farthest position which is with the PLA and we have control of up to Finger 4. As there is difference of perception of the LAC, such patrol face-offs take place. But we enjoy a good rapport with the PLA and we resolve issues through meetings or by talking on the hotline and through available mechanisms,” the Army commander said.Replying to a query on India lagging behind in infrastructure development on the LAC, Lt General Anbu said, “We started much later and we were 10 to 15 years behind. But I must say we have progressed very fast in eastern Ladakh. I am sure in a couple of years we will be very well off in all sort of infrastructure, whether it is related to surface communication or having helipads and other military-related infrastructure.”Meanwhile, the Army sent a strong message to Pakistan to stop terror camps and launching pads across the Line of Control and reminded Pakistan that the surgical strikes conducted last year was a clear message sent across that whenever needed, the LoC could be breached.“Despite the surgical strikes, terror camps and launching pads are still active. Infiltration attempts have increased this year as compared to last year but these have been foiled by the Indian Army on the LoC where a strong counter-infiltration grid is in place,” Lt General Anbu said.The Army commander said around 475 militants were waiting to infiltrate from across the LoC. Out of them, around 250 are waiting north of the Pir Panjal (Kashmir region) whereas around 225 militants are south of the Pir Panjal (Jammu region).The Lt General, however, said the Army was in control of the situation. “We have a strong counter-infiltration grid in place on the LoC, especially in the Jammu region, where despite many infiltration attempts not a single militant has infiltrated.”