‘Indian, Chinese armies disengaging’
DEHRADUN, June 13:
Army chief General M M Naravane today said the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have had a lot of successes recently as people there are fed up with militancy and want normalcy to return to the Union Territory.
“As far as Jammu and Kashmir or our western neighbour is concerned, we have had a lot of successes in the last one week or 10 days. In the last 10-15 days alone more than 15 terrorists have been killed there,”Naravane told reporters on the sidelines of the IMA’s passing out parade which he addressed as the reviewing officer.
“All this has been because of the close cooperation and coordination between all the security forces operating in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He said a majority of the recent anti-terrorist operations were based on information provided by locals which is an indication that they are fed up with militancy and want normalcy to return to the valley. Click here to watch video
“Most operations have been carried out on the basis of information provided by locals which goes to show they are also absolutely fed up with militancy and terrorism and want that the situation should return to normal,” Naravane said.
The military talks between India and China over the Eastern Ladakh row have been “very fruitful”, and both the armies are “disengaging” in a phased manner beginning from Galwan Valley, Gen Naravane said, in first official confirmation of mutual pulling back of troops from the region.
The Chief of Army Staff also said “the entire situation” has been under control along India’s borders with China and exuded confidence that the ongoing dialogue will “settle” all the perceived differences over the de-facto Sino-India boundary.
“Both sides are disengaging in a phased manner. We have started from the north, from the area of the Galwan river where a lot of disengagement has taken place. It has been a very fruitful dialogue that we have had. As I said, it will go on and the situation will improve as we go on,” he said.
The Indian and Chinese armies are locked in an over five-week standoff in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in Eastern Ladakh. A sizeable number of Chinese army personnel even transgressed into the Indian side of the de-facto border in several areas including Pangong Tso.
The Indian Army has been fiercely objecting to the transgressions, and demanded their immediate withdrawal for restoration of peace and tranquillity in the area. Both sides held a series of talks in the last few days to resolve the row.
“I would like to assure everyone that the entire situation along our borders with China is under control. We are having a series of talks which started with Corps Commander level talks which was followed up with meetings at the local level between commanders of equivalent ranks,” Naravane said.
“As a result a lot of disengagement has taken place and we are hopeful that through the continued dialogue that we are having, all perceived differences that we (India and China) have will be set to rest,” he said. (PTI)
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