Ready for long haul on LAC with China and deployment in harsh winters: Indian Military to Parliamentary panel

NEW DELHI: The top Indian military brass has informed a Parliamentary panel that it was ready for a long haul on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and is prepared for deployment in the harsh winters in the Eastern Ladakh sector.

While briefing a Parliamentary panel, the Indian military brass led by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat informed that de-escalation between the two sides may take a longer time but the Indian side was ready for any eventuality and have made arrangements for it in the Ladakh sector, sources said.

The CDS and top military officers were briefing the panel about Chinese aggression along the LAC.

The Chinese had been building up along the border with India in the garb of an exercise and transgressed into India after swiftly moving troops from there in Xinjiang to the Indian front quickly.

The Chinese have brought in more than 40,000 troops and have been maintaining that strength since April-May timeframe.

India and China have also held several rounds of military-level talks but they have not been able to achieve much success as China seems to be buying time to pressurise India.

India is also well-prepared and has asked China to disengage from friction points and Depsang Plains and has built up heavily to counter any further Chinese misadventure there.

The Indian Army lost 20 soldiers in the Galwan valley clash on June 15 where the Chinese too had suffered casualties but have not admitted it till now.

The Indian Army has moved in around two additional divisions in the Ladakh sector where already two formations are deployed for guarding against both Pakistan and China.