Edited By: Pritha Mallick
Last Updated: January 15, 2023, 22:00 IST
Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande addresses the 75th Army Day celebrations at Govinda Swamy Parade Ground in Bengaluru, Sunday. (PTI Photo)
Army Chief Manoj Pande said the northern border region has been peaceful and steps have been taken to maintain peace through established protocol and existing mechanism
Indian Army is maintaining a strong defence posture along the Line of Actual Control and is fully prepared to deal with any contingency, said Army chief General Manoj Pande on Sunday. The statement was the second such remark from the top defence official after the military clash between Chinese and Indian troops in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
Addressing the 75th Army Day celebrations in Bengaluru, Gen Pande said the situation is stable at the northern borders. “Necessary steps are being taken to maintain peace through established protocols and existing border mechanisms,” he said.
“While maintaining a strong defence posture along the LAC, we are fully prepared to deal with any contingency. Our brave men, in spite of the difficult terrain and harsh weather, are vigilantly deployed,” he said.
The Army Chief had made similar remarks during his address in New Delhi on January 12, in which he mentioned that the deployment on the other side of the borders had increased. Speaking on the eastern sectors where China has increased its troops in the past few months, a fact confirmed by satellite imageries, Gen Pande had said: “India has got equal numbers on its side. We also have adequate reserves,”
The army chief also reiterated the increased capabilities of the Indian Army and stated that the military is becoming a future-ready force.
In his speech on the occasion of Army Day, Gen Pande noted the significance of celebrations being held in Bengaluru, a first-of-its-kind shift from New Delhi. “Field Marshall KM Cariappa, who took over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the India Army after Independence, was born in Madikeri near Bengaluru,” he said.
Conditions at Indo-Pak Border
He also spoke about conditions at the western borders. “…with ceasefire being maintained along the Line of Control (LoC). At the same time, violations have decreased, and terrorist infrastructure continues to exist across the border,” Gen Pande said.
“In Jammu and Punjab, efforts to smuggle weapons and drugs through drones continue. Suitable steps have also been taken against such activities through counter drone jammers and spoofers,” the Army chief said.
“Future Ready Force”
Besides the situation at the borders, the Army Chief spoke extensively about the military’s future plans. “Our primary focus will be our soldiers, who will be fully prepared and equipped to face future challenges. Provision of modern weapons and equipment is an integral part of this effort for which the Indian Army is determined to find indigenous solutions,” he said.
Gen Pande said modernity through self-reliance will be Indian Army’s “new mantra.” “The Indian Army is moving from a buyer-seller relationship with the industry to ‘partnership’. Several initiatives have been taken to strengthen this relationship further, which includes ‘hand holding’.
He said the military fully believes in the sturdiness and operability of ‘Made-in-India’ weapons and equipment. “Niche technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, quantum communications, unmanned systems and directed energy weapons are also being indigenised,” he said.
“We are confident that the Indian Army will fight and win future wars with Indian solutions,” he added.
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