India capable of handling Chinese aggression in best suitable way: CDS General Bipin Rawat
NEW DELHI : India faces the threat of coordinated action along the northern and western fronts but its armed forces are capable of responding in “best suitable ways”, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat.
On Thursday he said that while India wants peace and tranquillity across our borders, the Indian Armed Forces are capable of handling Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
“Of late, we have been seeing some aggressive actions by China but we are capable of handling these. Our tri-services are capable of dealing with threats along our frontiers,” Rawat said.
In an interactive session at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, Gen Rawat said India’s policy of engagement, if not backed by credible military power and regional influence, would imply acknowledging China’s pre-eminence in the region.
Justifying the Indian actions against Chinese aggression along Pangong Tso, Rawat said that India’s policy of engagement, if not backed by credible military power and regional influence, would imply acknowledging China’s preeminence.
Reiterating India’s stated position that Pakistan has been launching a proxy war, sponsoring and equipping terrorists from its soil to create trouble in Jammu and Kashmir, Rawat said that Pakistan could take advantage of any threat developing along northern borders and create trouble for India.
Alluding to a joint Pakistani and Chinese threat amid what the country has called new attempts by Beijing to change the status quo in certain areas in eastern Ladakh.
He, however, added that the western neighbour will suffer heavy losses if it attempts any misadventure against India as adequate precautions have been taken to deal with it. Rawat also added that India faces most complex threats and challenges spanning the full spectrum of conflict, from nuclear to sub-conventional.
His comments come on the backdrop of ongoing escalations along the heights south of Pangong Tso. “India faces threat of coordinated action along northern and western fronts which we have to consider in our defence planning… We have conceptualised strategy to deal with threats emerging along northern and western borders,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
In a warning to Pakistan, he said the country will suffer “heavy losses” if it attempts any misadventure against India taking advantage of the border row with China. CDS spoke extensively about how Pakistan has been engaged in a proxy war against India and pushing terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir, attempted to spread terrorism in other parts of the country.
“Pakistan could take advantage of any threat developing along northern borders and create trouble for us,” he said.Indian armed forces will have to be prepared to meet immediate crisis and simultaneously prepare for the future, he said.
The June clash in the Ladakh’s Galwan valley, in the western part of their border, was the worst violence between the two country in decades and there has been little sign of a reduction in tension, with more military action in the past week.
(With Agency Inputs ).
