NEW DELHI: Indian Army chief General Dhiraj Seth visited Joshimath and Mana in Uttarakhand's Garhwal sector to review "operational preparedness" along the middle sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), even as face-offs with China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) continue in Arunachal Pradesh.
According to the Army statement issued Tuesday, Gen Seth was briefed on operational readiness, combat preparedness and ongoing infrastructure projects. Interacting with troops, he emphasised the need for "greater technology integration, continuous capability enhancement and sustained operational vigilance" to address "evolving security challenges".
The visit comes two months after Joshimath and Tawang were identified as the Indian-side meeting points for the middle and eastern sectors respectively, where Corps Commander-level talks with the PLA can be held.
The two meeting points were agreed at the Special Representatives (SR) talks between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing in August. The two sides also agreed on two new military hotlines for the eastern and middle sectors, which will connect the Army's Eastern and Central Commands with their Chinese counterparts.
The existing border personnel meeting (BPM) points are at Chushul and Daulat Beg Oldi in Ladakh, Nathu La in Sikkim and Bum La and Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the standoff near Asaphila in Upper Subansiri district has continued since late July. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General Shatrujeet Kapur said last week that face-offs with the PLA were continuing at multiple locations along the border.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that PLA troops had deviated from established patrolling patterns from time to time, disturbing the situation along the border.
Joshimath houses one of the Army's most important cantonments and is the staging ground for troops deployed along the China border. It sits where the Dhauliganga meets the Alaknanda, at the base of the Niti and Mana valleys. These valleys were historically the only crossable routes between Garhwal and Tibet.
The town's fragility came to the fore during the 2023 land subsidence, when 25-28 Army buildings developed cracks and troops had to be relocated.
Barahoti, around 100 km from Joshimath, was the first area in Indian territory claimed by China, in 1954. In August 2021, over 100 PLA soldiers reportedly crossed into Barahoti and damaged a bridge before retreating.
Gen Seth also visited Mana, India's "first village", where he appreciated the efforts of Army personnel and residents in promoting tourism, preserving cultural heritage and creating socio-economic opportunities.
Mana, at around 3,200 metres, is the last village before the Mana Pass, an ancient trade route to Tibet's Ngari region. The border is about 26 km away.
PM Narendra Modi called it the country's "first village" in October 2022. The Vibrant Villages Programme seeks to curb out-migration from China-border villages and counter the model 'xiaokang' villages China has built close to the LAC.