General Naravane Lands in Ladakh to Review Operational Preparedness
New Delhi: With Line of Actual Control in Ladakh on a knife edge following latest flare up, Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane landed in Ladakh on a two-day visit Thursday to review the latest operational situation. The military tensions with China flared up after Indian soldiers occupied heights on the southern bank of Pangong Tso under Chushul sector in eastern Ladakh last week.
In the meanwhile Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria travelled to the eastern sectors of the LAC for the ground assessment of the Chinese threats on the other front.
General Naravane not only carried out a comprehensive review of the security situation overseeing the deployment of the troops but also visited the Chushul sector near the southern banks of the Pangong lake where Indian troops have occupied the heights in the latest move.
Air Chief, on the other hand, reviewed the border situation from the airbases in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh and asked the air force to maintain a high level of alert considering the evolving situation in eastern Ladakh.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava earlier said the Indian Army has strengthened its presence in at least three strategic heights in the southern bank of Pangong lake.
Some “readjustments” in deployment of troops were also carried out on the northern bank of the Pangong lake on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as part of precautionary measures, the sources said.
Latest reports from the area said the Indian Army has started repositioning its troops even in the “Finger area” on the northern banks of Pangong Tso to “up the ante” against the Chinese army which intruded into the area in early May.
India and China have been engaged into border standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since early May. It has even led to a violent clash between troops of the two countries in the Galwan valley on June 15, which left 20 Indian soldiers dead.
ITBP put On High Alert
Amid the standoff in Ladakh between India and China, the Indian government has put the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) soldiers on high alert. India is also strengthening its position in Arunachal Pradesh.
Several companies of the SSB have reportedly been asked to move towards the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian Army started deploying its troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh since last night. Additional troops are being brought from other parts of Kashmir as well.
Strategic locations have been taken over by the Indian Army to thwart any attempt if the Chinese personnel again try to change the status quo along the LAC.
China Deploys Militia Squads in Eastern Ladakh
Meanwhile quoting sources IANS reported on Thursday that China has deployed five militia squads for rapid response at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh. It has done so to “consolidate the border” and “stabilise Tibet region”, IANS quoting sources reported on Thursday.
“Militia is basically a reserve force of the Chinese’s People Liberation Army. They are deployed during war time situations and help the PLA in its military operations,” said a senior government officer.
The officer also explained that Chinese militia conducts independent operations and provides combat support and manpower to replenish the PLA. “It is an irregular mix of mountaineers, boxers, members of local fight clubs and others. Most of the members are raised from the local population,” said the officer.
It was after their deployments across the LAC that China started making incursion attempts into Indian territories.
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