The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat slammed the proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir undertaken by Pakistan. "Situation along Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh remains tense. China's PLA is facing unanticipated consequences for its misadventure in Ladakh because of firm responses by Indian forces," he said. "Our posturing is unambiguous; we will not accept any shift in Line of Actual Control. Border confrontations and unprovoked military actions spiralling into larger conflict can't be discounted. Unabated proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir unleashed by Pakistan accompanied by vicious anti-India rhetoric have taken Indo-Pak ties to new low. Surgical, Balakot strikes a strong message that Pak no longer enjoys impunity of pushing terrorists into India under nuclear bogey," he said.
His statements come ahead of the eighth round of Corps Commander-level talks between India and China likely today.
India is determined to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of "unilateralism and aggression", Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said on Thursday. The defence minister also said that India attaches importance to peaceful resolution of differences through dialogue and is committed to respect various agreements inked for maintenance of peace along the borders.
"However, India is determined to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of unilateralism and aggression," he said, in an address at a virtual seminar organised by the National Defence College.
Singh said India is a peace-loving country and it believes that differences should not become disputes. The standoff between India and China began on May 6 and has significantly strained their ties. Both sides held a series of diplomatic and military talks to resolve the row. However, no breakthrough has been achieved to end the standoff.
