They forced PLA to go back: Rajnath Singh lauds India's armed forces

New Delhi: Defence minister Rajnath Singh, on Monday, lauded the valour of India's armed forces and said that they 'forced' Chinese 'People's Liberation Army to go back' from the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Addressing the 93rd annual general meeting of FICCI, Singh indirectly blamed China for violating established agreements and pushing power 'not just in Himalayas', but across the 'Indo-Pacific'.

"As you are aware, there is a big build-up of Armed Forces at the LAC in Ladakh. In these testing times, our forces have shown exemplary courage and remarkable fortitude. They fought the PLA with utmost bravery and forced them to go back," Singh said.

Stressing that unprovoked aggression on the Himalayan frontiers is a reminder of how the world is changing, Singh said that the standoff along the LAC is a testimony of 'how power is being asserted not just in the Himalayas but across Indo-Pacific'.

"The coming generations of this nation will be proud of what our forces have managed to achieve this year. Whenever there is a situation at the LAC, the most obvious outcome is a comparison between India and China’s military strength," he said.

Pakistan the fountainhead of terrorism: Rajnath

Slamming Pakistan for using non-state actors against India, Singh said that the entire world has, today, understood that Pakistan is the fountainhead of terrorism.

"We have been victims of cross-border terrorism, yet have fought the scourge alone even when there was no one to support us but later, they understood we were right about Pakistan being the fountainhead of terrorism," Singh said.

Speaking shortly afterwards, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said that China's attempt to change the status quo on Line of Actual Control along the northern border amidst COVID-19 pandemic necessities high-level preparation on land, sea and air. "I am fully confident that Indian Armed Forces will leave no stone unturned to safeguard our frontiers be it at land, air or ocean," he said.