NEW DELHI: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi on Sunday visited forward posts along the LAC in the Garhwal, Uttarakhand region to review the operational and administrative readiness of the deployed forces.
The Army in its statement said, "During his visit, the COAS interacted with troops guarding the frontiers and commended them for their unwavering dedication, resilience, and professionalism. He emphasised the importance of maintaining high standards of operational preparedness and constant vigilance."
Later in the day, the COAS inaugurated Ibex Tarana 88.4 FM, the first-of-its-kind Community Radio Station based in Jyotirmath, Uttarakhand.
The station is envisioned as a vital platform for local expression, knowledge sharing, and the preservation of cultural heritage. Its broadcasts will include programmes on education, environment, weather, entertainment, employment, disaster preparedness, tourism, health, and traditional arts.
In his inaugural podcast, the COAS remarked, "Ibex Tarana is not just a radio station-it is a powerful medium to amplify the voice of youth. It will bring the community together, promote local talent, and reconnect people with their cultural roots."
On this occasion, the COAS also felicitated distinguished veterans with the Veterans Achievement Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to nation-building and social development.
Uttarakhand, along with Himachal Pradesh form the Middle Sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Uttarakhand is also defined into Kumaon and Garhwal regions. There are around 22 Passes in the Middle Sector dotted on 545 kilometres and including the boundaries shared with Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The 3,488kms long LAC is undemarcated borders between India and China where both countries exercise actual control on ground and have differing perceptions.
It is divided into three sectors - Western (Eastern Ladakh), Central sector (Himachal Pradesh, 200 kms, Uttarakhand, 345 kms), Eastern Sector (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh).
Though the Middle Sector is considered the least disputed, Barahoti valley in this sector is one of the eight mutually accepted disputed areas on which both countries have overlapping claims. Also, it is the only sector in which there has been a broad agreement and where India and China have exchanged maps.
But, now this area also came under the shadow of the doubts raised by China which breached all agreements and Memorandum of Understandings signed in 1993 and thereafter between the two countries. China carried out a massive force deployment in Eastern Ladakh after the PLA soldiers clashed with the Indian Army troops at Finger 4 in May 2020.
Indian Army since then has affected a precautionary deployment all along the LAC and it included the Middle Sector. The plans are afoot to position a Corps sized troops specifically for the Middle Sector and especially Uttarakhand which is made of four valleys, starting with Harshil, Mana, Niti and Barahoti.