Indian Army has shown immense grit to match Chinese aggression in eastern Ladakh: Top commander

Gen Joshi said the northern command is facing a triple challenge posed by China, Pakistan and the internal security situation

UDHAMPUR: A top Indian Army commander on Friday said the force has shown immense grit and determination to match the Chinese aggression in eastern Ladakh and gave a befitting reply, adding talks on the military standoff are being held with the PLA from a position of "equivalence".

"Today, I am extremely satisfied with all the actions that the northern command has taken towards the end of August last year now, we are in a position of operational advantage and are negotiating with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) from a position of equivalence," General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief (GoC-In-C) Northern Command, Lt Gen Y K Joshi told reporters here.

Around four months back, Indian troops occupied a number of strategic heights in the Mukhpari, Rechin La and Magar hill areas around the southern bank of the Pangong lake after the PLA attempted to intimidate them in the area on the intervening night of August 29 and 30.

The Indian Army has been holding onto the heights despite objections from Chinese military.

Gen Joshi said the northern command is facing a triple challenge posed by China, Pakistan and the internal security situation.

"At northern command, we are contending with a triple challenge. Firstly, we have a western adversary Pakistan which has not yet relented from using terror as a state policy… at the northern border we have seen the Chinese belligerence along the LAC… third is the internal security situation," he said.

"We all got involved in the fight against the (COVID-19) pandemic. It was followed by the PLA act in Ladakh which had us totally occupied", we had our hands full with the job," the general said.

The Chinese tried to change the status quo in eastern Ladakh which is being contested with resolve by the Indian Army, he added.

Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a bitter standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5 as multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks have not produced any breakthrough yet.

Gen Joshi said the internal security situation is stable and under control but has propensity to flare up any time.

"We are upholding the idea of India", he added.