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Arun Joshi
Jammu, July 17 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday cautioned those eyeing Indian territory or hurting its sovereignty and said that they would be given a befitting reply.

Speaking in Leh, Singh said he hoped that Indo-China talks were moving towards the resolution of the crisis.

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He said, talks were underway to resolve the situation, “but I cannot guarantee as to what extent the issue would be resolved”.

Also read: Rajnath Singh for befitting reply to Pakistan on LoC; exhorts forces to show zero-tolerance to terrorism

Hints of the complex nature of the talks were also dropped by the Indian Army, in a statement, on Thursday.

Without naming China, Singh said: “India’s commitment to peace should not be taken as a weakness as we are capable of defeating designs of the adversaries.”

Singh was speaking from the banks of Pangong Tso, where Chinese had put up a massive built up of its troops and war machinery.

He said: “No country can take even an inch of our land; our soldiers and the nation are ready to meet and defeat any such designs.”

Singh, who is on a two-day visit of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, had begun his tour by witnessing military exercises in Ladakh. He later travelled to the forward position to deliver a message of solidarity with the soldiers. His message from Pangong Tso holds a strategic message as it is close to the area where the standoff occurred in eastern Ladakh.

Earlier, he also held a review meeting with the commanders and hoped that the situation would get resolved soon as the talks with China were progressing.

Rajnath Singh, who is on a two-day visit of Ladakh and Kashmir Valley, arrived in Srinagar Friday afternoon.

During his meetings, the situation along the LoC that has become hot because of frequent attempts being made by Pakistan to push in infiltrators from across the LoC. The Defence Minister said the forces should give more than befitting reply to Pakistani provocations, whether those were ceasefire violations or pushing of terrorists from across the borderline.

He also raised questions about the internal situation in the Valley where security forces have achieved stupendous successes against the militants. Nearly 130 militants have been killed this year alone.

Rajnath Singh was briefed about the situation in the Valley against the backdrop of Pakistan’s renewed attempts to cause the trouble in Kashmir. He was also apprised of all strategies that have been put in place to counter Pakistan’s designs

Earlier, in Ladakh, Rajnath had interacted with the troops and assured them that no power in the world could take even a single inch of the Indian territory.

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The Army officer said it was only befitting that Friday’s encounter, in which three terrorists, including a self-styled commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, were gunned down, took place just four days before the yatra is set to commence on July 21.

NEW DELHI:The Indian Army on Thursday stated that the disengagement process at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China is intricate and “requires constant verification”. It also emphasised that India is taking the de-escalation process forward through “regular meetings at diplomatic and military level”.

During a 15-hour long deliberation which started on Tuesday and ended on Wednesday, Indian and Chinese military delegates reviewed the progress on “implementation of the first phase of disengagement and discussed further steps to ensure complete disengagement” at Eastern Ladakh, a statement issued by the Army said.

Indian delegate’s main agenda of the meeting was complete pull back of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from Pangong Lake and Depsang areas in Eastern Ladakh.

The talks started at 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday and ended at 2 a.m. on Wednesday. Indian delegates asked Chinese troops to completely withdraw from Pangong Lake and Depsang.

The Indian Army stated that India and China have been engaged in discussions through established military and diplomatic channels to address the prevailing situation along the LAC.

“Commanders from PLA and Indian Army held a meeting at Chushul, on Indian side, for the fourth round of talks, on 14 July 2020, ” the army said. The meeting took place between 14 Corps commander Lieutenant General Harinder Singh and South Xinjiang Military District chief Major General Liu Lin in Chushul.

The third meeting in June was on for almost 12 hours when India put across a strong message that the PLA have not abided by the disengagement consensus.

The fresh statement issued by the Indian Army stated that the engagement was consistent with the consensus reached between the Special Representatives of India and China earlier, on July 5, to discuss complete disengagement — Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor of India and Wang Yi, State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China spoke on telephone then.

“The Senior Commanders reviewed the progress on implementation of the first phase of disengagement and discussed further steps to ensure complete disengagement, ” the statement said.

It also said that the two sides remain committed to the objective of complete disengagement. “This process is intricate and requires constant verification. They are taking it forward through regular meetings at diplomatic and military level, ” said the force.

India and China have been locked in a 10-week-long standoff at multiple points, hitherto unprecedented along the border. They are now engaged in military and diplomatic deliberation to de-escalate the situation at the border areas.

Last week, diplomatic meeting took place between both the countries delegates. The meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held on July 10 where Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs and Chinese by Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two sides recalled the agreement reached between the two foreign ministers on June 17, as well as the agreement between two Special Representatives during their telephonic conversation on July 5, and reaffirmed that both sides will ensure complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation from India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas in accordance with bilateral agreements and protocols.

They also agreed that for the overall development of bilateral relations it was essential to maintain enduring peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

A total 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops were killed on June 15 in their worst clash in four decades at another disputed border area — Galwan Valley. China attempted to change the status quo at the border at various places moving inside the Indian territories. India has objected to it and is taking up the matter with China at all levels.

Army chief General M.M. Naravane also separately met senior officers to discuss the 15-hour talks held between Indian & Chinese corps commanders to resolve LAC tensions.

New Delhi: Multiple high-level meetings were held Wednesday, attended by Army chief General M.M. Naravane, to discuss the outcome of the 15-hour disengagement dialogue between the Indian and Chinese corps commanders in Ladakh Tuesday.

One of them was a “review meeting” by the government’s high-powered China Study Group (CSG) — a panel comprising top civil servants, besides armed forces and intelligence personnel, that serves as policy adviser to the executive on China.

The CSG meeting, top defence sources said, was attended by General Naravane, Northern Army commander Lt Gen Y.K. Joshi, and the general officer commanding (GOCs) of the 14 Corps, Lt Gen. Harinder Singh.

Lt Gen. Singh has been India’s representative at all the corps commander-level meetings held with China since 6 June to defuse recent tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, with the commander of the South Xinjiang Military District, Major General Lin Liu, serving as China’s envoy.

The last of these was held Tuesday to resolve continued disagreements over disengagement at Pangong Lake and Depsang Plains, even as the two sides are believed to have established an understanding with respect to two other points of conflict, Galwan Valley and Hot Springs.

The second meeting held Wednesday involved General Naravane and other senior Army officers.

General Naravane and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are scheduled to visit Ladakh Friday, where they will interact with troops and seek to assess the situation on the ground.

Also Read: Not just India, Tibet — China has 17 territorial disputes with its neighbours, on land & sea

‘Disengagement has been slow’

The Tuesday meeting began at 11 am and concluded at 2 am Wednesday.

Referring to the dialogue Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that the two sides had reached progress on promoting “further disengagement” of border troops to de-escalate tensions.

Government sources, however, told ThePrint that the disengagement process at the LAC has been “very slow and will be on for the next several months”, continuing through the region’s harsh winter.

This, sources said, could be a major reason why the Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC) Wednesday discussed ways to truncate the timeline for emergency procurements.

“The negotiations at various levels will continue, while troops on the ground plan to prepare for a long winter,” a source said.

“The point of each country’s claim lines will continue to be discussed and it is unlikely there will be a change in India’s stand for reversion to pre-April deployment positions,” the source added.

News agency ANI reported that the Army will soon place emergency orders for extreme cold-weather tents for the over 30,000 troops deployed at the LAC.

India is also planning to place orders for Heron surveillance drones and Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel under the emergency financial powers granted by the government.

As part of the disengagement process, sources said, the Army is working out certain patrolling points to prevent further conflict with China, besides refining rules for distancing.

Also Read: India’s credibility will be hit if our posture on China doesn’t match new realities at LAC

New Delhi: A special session of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) Wednesday empowered the armed forces to go ahead with Rs 300 crore worth of capital acquisitions to meet emergent operational requirements, even as the military has been on a shopping spree over the past few weeks.

The move, which comes amid tensions between India and China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), gives the armed forces unprecedented emergency powers under the capital budget, which is for purchases of new equipment and systems. It is expected to ease some of the bottlenecks that mar defence acquisitions.

So far, the forces have, from time to time, been given a Rs 500-crore limit per project under the revenue head, which deals with reordering of existing systems and ammunition. This power, for example, was allowed after the 2016 Uri attack, and in June this year in light of the LAC situation.

Procurements under the capital budget are a long-drawn process that requires multiple trials and long procedures even if fast-tracked.

Announcing the new provision, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said it will shrink procurement timelines, ensure speedy placement of orders, and start deliveries within one year.

Also Read: Indian Army could get carbines from UAE soon, deal in final stages of confirmation

Several procurements on the horizon

Amid the ongoing tensions with China, the Indian military has been on a shopping spree, with a number of projects being pushed under the emergency procurement provision. These include assault rifles, anti-tank guided missiles, ammunition, high-altitude clothing, bombs, drones, etc.

Sources said the armed forces are already in the midst of pursuing different manner of procurements from the US, Russia, Israel, France and some other countries.

Asked how much money is being spent in these fast-tracked emergency purchases, sources said it was easily over $1 billion (Rs 7,513 crore).

The procurements — some of which have been inked while others are in the final stages — included armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS) ammunition fired by the T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks, additional Heron drones, loitering munition, Spice Bombs, and Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS).

The procurement of 72,000 additional SiG 716 battle rifles has also been pushed ahead keeping the situation at the LAC in mind, sources said.

Each of the three services has prepared a list of items that they are looking to procure under the emergency clause. Sources said Russia, France and Israel have already assured timely delivery of items.

France had even diverted missiles meant for its own force to India to enable faster deployment of the Rafale fighters jets, which will arrive in India later this month.

This report has been updated to correct a typo

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