KANNUR, Nov 24:
Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh today said the troops should not be withdrawn from the Siachen border with Pakistan because of the strategic importance of the place.
Talking to newspersons on the sidelines of a passing out parade of the cadets at Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala here, the new Army chief said India now has the advantage there and this should be maintained.
However, it is for the Union Government to take a decision, he said, adding this was his personal opinion.
He said India’s bilateral relations with China were very normal and there was ‘peace and tranquility’ in the Line of Control (LoC) with that country. However, he agreed that India and China were competitors ‘aspiring to grow in their strategic profile’.
But this has not affected the relations between the two countries, he said.
Talking about the shortage of officers in the Army, he said many steps were being taken to attract youths to the armed forces. Their parents were being educated about the importance of Army. Measures were also being taken to make the profession more lucrative, he pointed out.
The Army chief also admitted the shortage of arms and ammunition in the armed forces. But this was so in the case of all countries, he added.
India has taken steps to overcome the problem soon and the Government has been informed about it. (UNI)
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