Army Chief General Manoj Pande on Thursday reviewed the operational preparedness on the ground in Ladakh, during his three-day visit, as the standoff with China continues in eastern Ladakh. This is his first forward area visit since taking over as the 29th Army Chief on April 30.
“The Army Chief was briefed on the security situation along the borders with special focus on eastern Ladakh. The high level of operational readiness being maintained by the forces while maintaining a high tempo of capability development was highlighted,” the Army said in a statement.
Calls on L-G
Accompanied by Northern Army Commander Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi and 14 Corps Commander Lt. Gen. A. Sengupta, Gen. Pande called on Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh R. K. Mathur. “This was followed by a detailed discussion on issues related to civil-military cooperation and the role of the Army in developmental activities in the Union Territory of Ladakh,” the Army added.
Gen. Pande was also given demonstrations on the technology inductions, including drones, all terrain vehicles and small arms among others that were undertaken in the region in the last couple of years.
During his visit, the Army Chief will visit forward areas in eastern Ladakh and interact with troops deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the most difficult and inhospitable terrain in the world, the Army added.
In an interaction with media earlier this week, Gen. Pande said the basic issue with China remained resolution of the border and China’s intent had been to keep “the boundary issue alive” while reiterating that in eastern Ladakh their aim was to restore the “status quo ante prior to April 2020.”
