E-Paper
In Tawang, Rajnath delivers Dussehra message to China
India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh visited forward posts near the China-India border in Arunachal Pradesh to assess the operational preparedness of the armed forces amid the ongoing military standoff with China in Ladakh. Singh's visit, which included participating in a "shastra pooja" (worship of weapons), sends a strong message to China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as its territory. The visit comes as India and China continue talks to resolve outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday visited forward posts near the contested border with China in Arunachal Pradesh and assessed the operational preparedness of the armed forces deployed in the sensitive sector amid a military standoff with the neighbour in Ladakh for three-and-a-half years.
Singh was in the north-eastern state, which China claims as its territory, to spend Dussehra with the troops deployed there, participated in a “shastra pooja” (worship of weapons) near the war memorial in Tawang.
The gesture sends a strong message to the neighbouring country, which routinely objects to Indian leaders visiting the border state. Beijing did not immediately react to Singh’s Arunachal Pradesh visit.
Singh, who began his two-day visit to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on Monday, was accompanied by Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande, Eastern Army commander Lieutenant General RP Kalita, GOC 4 Corps Lieutenant General Manish Erry, and other senior officers.
“People have realised that we are not only growing as an economic power, but the same trajectory is seen in our defence capabilities as well,” Singh said while addressing the soldiers.
The eastern sector is prone to face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops.
A clash between them in December 2022 in Tawang’s Yangtse area put the spotlight on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh. Back then, Indian soldiers prevented Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops from transgressing into Indian territory and compelled them to return to their posts.
In April, the Chinese foreign ministry had objected to Union home minister Amit Shah’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, claiming it violated Beijing’s territorial sovereignty and was “not conducive to peace and tranquillity” along the border.
Beijing claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, part of the Tibet Autonomous Region. New Delhi has repeatedly dismissed China’s claim on Arunachal, saying the state is an integral part of India.
The defence minister’s visit comes at a time when India and China are carrying out talks to resolve outstanding problems along LAC in eastern Ladakh. Indian and Chinese senior military commanders recently concluded another round of talks on the standoff by agreeing to continue their dialogue and to maintain peace. A statement by the external affairs ministry after the 20th round of talks on October 9-10 did not point to any breakthrough.
While Ladakh has been the focus of the current border tensions with China, the Indian Army is in a high state of readiness all along the border.
The minister interacted with the troops deployed in the front-line locations along LAC in Arunachal Pradesh and reiterated that Dussehra signifies the victory of good over evil.
“People have realised that we are not only growing as an economic power, but the same trajectory is seen in our defence capabilities as well. Earlier we used to import almost all our arms and weapons. Before 2014, our annual arms and weapons exports used to be worth around ₹1,100 crore,” he told the soldiers.
“But you will be happy to know that now we are exporting hardware worth more than ₹20,000 crore. At present all weapons are being made in India. Even weapons manufacturers from abroad are collaborating with Indians and making their products in the country,” he said.
The defence minister said that the dedication with which Indian soldiers are protecting the nation’s borders has led to rise in India’s stature in the international arena in the past 8-10 years.
“The economic progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one reason for India’s rise. But I can definitely state that if you had not protected the country’s borders and without your contribution, that it wouldn’t have been possible,” Singh said.
He praised the contribution of soldiers in difficult circumstances and their role in protecting the nation’s borders, adding that every youth and child have the desire to don the defence uniform at some point in their lives and people of the country know the valour and honour associated with this uniform.
At the Tawang War Memorial, he laid a wreath and offered tributes to the soldiers killed during the 1962 India-China war and visited the 4 Corps Headquarters at Tezpur in Assam.
A government release said he reviewed the operational readiness of the formation, which is deployed in one of the easternmost parts of the country. Singh was briefed on the infrastructure development along LAC and the employment of cutting-edge military equipment and technology to enhance the operational efficiency of the troops deployed in the front-line.
Shah’s April visit to the state – including to the strategic Kibithoo village near LAC – took place in the backdrop of Beijing “standardising” names of 11 places including villages and mountain peaks in the state.
Responding to Shah’s visit, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said at the time: “Zangnan (South Tibet in Chinese) is China’s territory... The Indian official’s visit to Zangnan violates China’s territorial sovereignty, and is not conducive to the peace and tranquillity of the border situation.”
