We don’t want to be aggressive but firm with China: Army chief general

Stressing upon bolstering military capabilities along the northern frontier, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said on Friday that India needs to be firm in its resolve while dealing with the boundary issues with China.

“The fact is we have to be firm in our resolve. We don’t want to be aggressive but firm. We have to assert legitimate claims but that does not mean we have to go and create a friction in any other talks that is going on. We should know what we want for resolution of boundary issue,” General Naravane said.

He said that India has two neighbours — to the West is Pakistan and to the North is China with large boundaries.

“The border in the North is very large. It has inhospitable terrain so we need to focus there also. I am not saying one is big and the other is not. We are preparing for any eventuality. If we want peace, we should be ready,” the Army chief said.

He said the Indian Army has been focusing on the northern borders for years. “We are developing infrastructure. We are trying to increase capabilities for quick movement,” he said.

General Naravane pointed out that the Indian Army keeps reviewing deployments across the northern border and upgrading arms and equipment and surveillance.

“Nothing is constant. We are focusing on three aspects — infrastructure, surveillance and reserves.”

He also clarified that it is nearly impossible to guard every inch of the border.

“If we do so we will be very thin. We need to focus more at critical areas and less important areas can be manned through surveillance and latest equipment,” the Indian Army chief said.

He said that India needs to develop infrastructure across the border so that quick movement of forces and capabilities could be carried out.

General Naravane, after taking charge as Chief of Army Staff on December 31, said that the Indian Army will focus on the border with China with equal attention as it is doing with Pakistan.

He said that he is confident that India will eventually resolve the border issues with China.

“We have Line of Actual Control. The border question (with China) is yet to be settled. We have made progress in maintaining peace and tranquillity. We will be able to set a stage for an eventual solution,” General Naravane said.