Defense Minister Rajnath Singh during the army commanders conference | Photo credit: ANI
Key points
- Rajnath Singh expressed his confidence in the Indian Army and said he was proud of the initiatives taken by the Army.
- Conversations must be conducted honestly and in an environment of trust to reach a solution, he said.
New Delhi: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday called on army leaders to distrust Chinese actions on the disputed borders and their intent during the military talks. The minister said this while addressing the Army Commanders Conference, ‘a high-level biannual event that formulates important political decisions through collegiate deliberations.
Singh’s comments come at a time when India and China are locked in a bitter confrontation along the Royal Line of Control. While the two sides have held several rounds of talks at the military level throughout LAC, the discussions have yielded no results so far.
Citing sources familiar with Singh’s leadership, the IANS news agency reported that Singh stated that the talks must be conducted honestly and in an environment of trust to reach a solution. “Today I addressed the Army Commanders Conference in New Delhi. I am extremely proud of the initiatives undertaken by the Indian Army in today’s security environment,” Singh said in a tweet.
United States backs India against Chinese aggression
“We will leave no stone unturned to strengthen the weapons of our armed forces … The Indian Army has been successful in addressing various challenges to the security and sovereignty of this country since Independence … Be it the problem of terrorism, the insurgency or in the face of any external attack, the Army has played a significant role in neutralizing these threats, ”he added.
During the Army Commanders Conference they deliberated on Chinese aggression and ongoing developments throughout LAC. The broader issue related to Chinese expansionism in the Indo-Pacific region was also discussed during the 2 + 2 dialogue between the United States and India that took place on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Rajnath held meetings with his US counterpart in the framework of the 2 + 2 dialogue, saying that India was facing “reckless aggression” from China on the northern borders.
