Improvement in JK security situation but Pak-sponsored terror remains threat: Army chief

Says relationship with China would develop as per India’s wishes

New Delhi: Army chief Gen M M Naravane Wednesday said that there is “definitely a great improvement” in the internal security situation in Jammu and Kashmir but Pakistan-promoted terror still remains a threat.He said Pakistan is committed to the strategy of supporting terrorism in all its forms as terrorist launchpads continue to be operated and terrorists continue to be there on the other side of the Line of Control looking for an opportunity to cross over.Naravane exuded confidence that with continued engagement with Pakistan, there could be some sort of an understanding because “unsettled borders and violence on the borders help no one”.”We are always wanting peace and tranquillity in our border areas, whether it be the western front or the northern front and the LAC (Line of Actual Control). Or whether it is on the Indo-Myanmar border, we are always looking for peace and tranquillity and our role is to ensure that so as to the rest of the nation can develop,” Naravane said.The Army chief was speaking at a webinar organised by Vivekananda International Foundation. Talking about terrorism in the Valley, Naravane said the winter months are always a little bit of a lull period when the passes are closed and snowfall is heavy.He said with the waning of winter, as the passes open and the onset of summer, the Army is always prepared for a fresh influx from across the border.”But having said all that, there is definitely a great improvement in the internal security situation in the union territory of J&K. When I say that, I don’t say that just based on the emotion but on various parameters you can judge the figures,” Naravane said.He said the number of terrorist-initiated incidents has gone down so have the incidents of infiltration bids across the LoC. He added that there were no instance of stone pelting, no incidents of IED attacks.”These are facts and figures which speak for themselves that there has been an improvement on the ground in the J&K. However, that threat still remains a threat in being.”The Pakistan angle and the terror angle still remain a threat in being,” he said. Asserting that nobody wants an unsettled border, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General MM Naravane on Wednesday said that the relationship with China would develop along the path as per India’s wishes.

“Whatever we did as a government, as a nation has shown that the resolve that we have in maintaining our interest foremost. I think with this Whole-of-Government approach, our relations with China would develop along the path that we wish to develop,” Naravane said during a virtual conference on the ‘role of the Indian Army in dealing with contemporary national security challenges’.

“As two neighbours who would like to have peace and tranquillity on their borders and who would like all the other engagements which have been going on in the past should continue also in the future. Nobody wants an unsettled border,” he added.Commenting upon the India-China disengagement, the Army Chief said, “What we have achieved so far is very good and it is a very good end result..win-win situation.”“The agreement signed with any country is premised on the fact that it will be observed in letter and spirit. We will trust, but we verify. We have put systems in place to make sure that there is no re-occupation of these heights and it is part of the agreement. If it is violated then you have violated the spirit. We can only hope that China and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) adhere to these principles and agreements in toto, and that has been our stand from the beginning. If those agreements adhere to letter and spirit, then most of the issues which are pending between the countries would get resolved automatically,” he added.The disengagement process from both the north and south banks of Pangong Lake was completed by the two nations and further disengagement is underway at other friction points.Both the armies of India and China have agreed for disengagement in few areas and military troops have also been removed to maintain a status of pre-face-off that happened last year.India and China have had a stand-off along the LAC since April-May last year due to actions of the Chinese Army and have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks.