With the border row between India and China in eastern Ladakh set to enter its fourth year in early May, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made three significant remarks at the Army Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi. One, the Defence Minister asked the Army to maintain strong vigil along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Two, he expressed confidence in the Indian Army to handle any contingency along the country’s border with China. Three, he said that the talks would continue for a peaceful resolution of the lingering row in the Ladakh sector and that disengagement and de-escalation were the best way forward. This way, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks sent out two important messages to China. First, Beijing was given a clear signal that the Indian army is ready and capable to deal with any contingency along the country’s border with China, for which a strong vigil is being maintained by the soldiers. The preparedness is being closely monitored in New Delhi at the level of the Defence Minister himself. Second, the Defence Minister also signalled that the option for talks is still open for a peaceful resolution of the row in the Ladakh sector even though 17 rounds of negotiations and dialogues at the military level between India and China could not make much headway.
While being battle-ready, India has always, at the same time, emphasised that disengagement and de-escalation are the best way forward. While addressing top commanders of the Indian Army, Rajnath Singh sounded both determined to deal with China militarily, and diplomatic at the same time to keep the negotiations and dialogue process on to resolve the deadlock. As China must have closely followed the Army Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi, Rajnath Singh aptly used the occasion to send out the strong and right message to Beijing. It was quite expected from the Indian Defence Minister at the commanders’ conference to talk tough in the context of any threat on the border, which Rajnath did. He assured the army commanders that it is the whole endeavour of the government to provide the best weapons and facilities to each and every soldier posted on the border. The Defence Minister at the same time chose to suggest that it is better for both sides to find a diplomatic way out of the deadlock. Rajnath’s direction to the army to maintain vigil along the LAC assumed significance as it came days after Chinese President Xi Jinping asked China’s military forces to focus on “strengthening the military training oriented towards actual combat”. In view of Jinping’s regular direction to the PLA to be ready for future battles, the message that the Army Commanders’ Conference sent out was much-needed and timely. Xi’s military strategists were in a way told that the Indian army is prepared and capable to tackle any contingency along the border with China. It is good that Rajnath Singh uses every such occasion to make it clear to adversaries such as China and Pakistan that India is capable enough to thwart any attempt to undermine its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Only a few months ago, Rajnath Singh, in a strong message to China, had unequivocally said that if harmed, India would not spare anyone. He had also asserted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has emerged as a powerful country and is headed to be among the top three economies of the world. While sending out a strong message to China, Rajnath Singh has always underlined that the diplomacy is also at work to resolve the row. There is no denying that the situation along the LAC in the northern sector remains tense in view of deployment of PLA troops. And this is the situation when the border row between India and China in eastern Ladakh is set to enter its fourth year in May. While the situation still remains tense, the strong message that the Indian Defence Minister sent out to China during the commanders’ conference was the need of the hour. It is also significant at the same time that Rajnath Singh called upon the armed forces to take note of geo-political changes around the world, and accordingly mould their planning and strategies. “The situation is tense due to deployment of PLA troops in the northern sector. Our armed forces, especially the Indian Army, will have to continuously keep their vigilance in order to maintain the security of the LAC,” he said. In what is also a strong signal to the neighbouring countries with which India has prickly ties, the defence minister said the security of the country is the “topmost priority” for the government.
