Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Army Chief General MM Naravane on Wednesday said China’s known strategy of nibbling into neighbouring territory slowly, like it did in the South China Sea, will not work with India.
“I think more than anything else what we have achieved is to show that this strategy will not work with us,” the General said referring to the recent reciprocal disengagement at Pangong lake in Ladakh after a standoff that lasted more than nine months.
He was giving a talk on the “Role of the Indian Army in dealing with the contemporary national security challenges” at a Delhi-based think tank, Vivekananda International Foundation.
“China has been in the habit of creeping forward making very small incremental changes where in each change by itself was not very big or worthy of a very strong reaction.”
And because of the very small incremental moves that were never contested, it has been able to achieve its aims without firing a shot or any loss of life, he pointed out. General Naravane described the Pangong disengagement as a win-win for both sides, adding it was achieved as all the organs of the government worked in tandem.
“As a result of this whole approach, disengagement has taken place. I think it is a very good end result. It is a win-win situation, and I think for any agreement to last both sides should feel that they have achieved something,” he said, adding it’s the outcome of 10 rounds of military-level talks.
Strategies in place to deal with pending issues
Army Chief General Naravane spoke about the existing trust deficit, which makes India wary of China’s intentions.
“Going forward there are…pending issues in the areas of Eastern Ladakh (like Depsang, Gogra, Hotspring, Demchok); also pending issues in other areas along the Line of Control. But we have our strategies in place for that,” he said
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