National security, the overall situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the ongoing standoff with China in several locations across the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh will be in top focus as top commanders of the Indian Army meet here as part of a three-day conference starting Wednesday.
Sources said the commanders, including Army Chief General MM Naravane, will discuss in detail the tense standoff between the armies of India and China in several areas of eastern Ladakh. It has been reported that the troops of the two nuclear-armed neighbours are engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball face-off in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie.
Ever since the standoff began on May 5 evening at the Pangong Tso lake, both the countries have increased troop numbers at all sensitive areas in the region. Sources have said that the current confrontation is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon and may be headed for a Doklam-type standoff of 2017. That crisis had continued for 73 days and almost brought the two nations to the brink of a war.
Local commanders of the two armies have held several rounds of talks to resolve the current dispute but there has been no headway so far.
While the first incident was reported from eastern Ladakh on May 5 evening when some 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers indulged in a violent face-off, another similar clash took place near Naku La Pass in north Sikkim on May 9.
“The apex level leadership of the Indian Army will brainstorm on the current emerging security and administrative challenges and chart the future course for Indian Army,” Army Spokesperson Col Aman Anand was quoted as saying.
The Army Commanders’ Conference was originally scheduled to be held from April 13-18, but was postponed due to the COVID-19.
It is now being organised in two phases – from May 27 to 29 and then in the last week of June.
“India has handled the situation in a mature way. The commanders are expected to have detailed deliberations including on the strategy to confront China’s aggressive behaviour,” PTI quoted an official as saying on the condition of anonymity.