Threat from China remains, says Indian army chief

Beijing urges Gen Manoj Naravane to ‘refrain from unconstructive remarks’

NEW DELHI:

The threat China poses to India has by no means diminished despite partial disengagement along the two countries' de facto border, the Indian army chief said on Wednesday.

"War or conflict is always an instrument of last resort. But if resorted to, we will come out victorious," asserted Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane at a virtual press conference ahead of India's Army Day.

Underlining that the Indian Army would deal with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in a firm manner as it maintains maximum operational preparedness along its northern borders, Naravane said New Delhi would at the same time engage with the Chinese PLA through dialogue.

He noted that the Indian military had increased its force levels in the region since a military standoff in 2020 and that this would continue this year, as well.

The two countries were engaged in a face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) — the de facto border between China and India in the disputed territory of Ladakh in the disputed Himalayan region. Tensions soared in June 2020 after at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in a border clash in the region.

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Though the situation calmed after several rounds of talks, the two sides are yet to reach a resolution and have increased military deployment along the border.

However, there have been positive developments along the country's northern and western borders since January last year as Indian forces have engaged with Chinese troops through dialogue, he said.

When asked about the 14th round of military dialogue with China, which began on Wednesday, he expressed optimism on the resolution of difficulties at Patrolling Point 15 in eastern Ladakh, from where Chinese troops moved out in 2020 as part of disengagement efforts at the border.

However, China urged the Indian army chief to "refrain from unconstructive remarks".

"China and India are working through diplomatic and military channels to ease border tension. We hope individual personnel from India will refrain from making unconstructive remarks," Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of China's Foreign Ministry, told a news conference in Beijing on Thursday.