NEW DELHI: Amid the prevailing tension along the Line of Actual Control with China, there has been an increase in the number of troops on the Chinese side in the Eastern Sector, said Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande on Thursday.
There has been build-up of infrastructure towards the LAC and the Indian Army is prepared to deal with any situation, Gen Pande added. Addressing the mediapersons on the occasion of the Annual Army Day press conference, Gen Pande said: “There is a slight increase in the number of troops on the adversary side in the eastern sector. We are constantly monitoring the developments there.”
“The situation is stable and under control, yet unpredictable. You are aware of the ongoing talks where we have been able to resolve five out of seven issues that were on the table and we are continuing to talk both at the diplomatic as well as the military level,” he said.
“In terms of our preparedness level, they remain of a very high standard. We have adequate forces, we have adequate reserves in each of our sectors to be able to effectively deal with any situation or contingency,” he added.
Keeping the troop accretion on the Chinese side in May 2020, Indian Army began reorientation of its forces as per the threat assessment. The Army Chief said the “strategic rebalancing” of the troops that was undertaken sometime ago has been completed.
“We have been able to maintain a very robust defensive posture and prevent any attempts from our adversary to unilaterally change the status quo in a firm and resolute manner,” Gen Pande said.
It was in May 2020, as first reported by this newspaper, the Chinese forces had moved in standoff mode which led to mirror deployment by the Indian Army. While there had been disengaments at five of the seven standoff points, the situation turned tense again
in December as the Chinese troops clashed with the Indian Army soldiers.