Days after there some positive signalling and indication from diplomatic sides of both India and China on the military standoff along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Friday told Army commanders that India is “cautiously optimistic” about the current situation along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, which will continue to be dependent on the ground situation, The Indian Express has learnt. Addressing the apex Army leadership virtually during the second Army Commanders’ Conference of 2024 that began Thursday at a forward location in Gangtok, Singh, as per senior officials, also told the Army commanders that the Army’s strong response during the Galwan valley clashes in 2020 had given India a strategic advantage for the later months. Singh also remembered the Army’s responses and India’s decisive victory during Nathu La and Cho La clashes, also known as the 1967 India-China war. It is learned that Singh told top Army officers that it is imperative to be prepared for any challenge the current volatile geo-political situation can throw up and underlined the importance of the Army undergoing more reforms to be a future force to reckon with. A Defence Ministry statement said that while commenting on the current situation along the northern borders, Singh expressed confidence in the Army to deal with any contingency, even as he emphasised that the ongoing talks for peaceful resolution will continue at all levels. Referring to the situation along the western borders, he lauded the Army’s response to cross-border terrorism, while highlighting the continuing proxy war by the adversary. “The synergised operations in the UT of J&K are contributing to increased stability and peace in the region which was also evident in the recently conducted elections in the UT of J&K and for this I again compliment the Indian Army,” he said. Singh said that “unconventional and asymmetric warfare, including hybrid war will be part of the future conventional wars” and that is evident in the ongoing conflicts across the world and that the Armed Forces should consider these facets while planning and formulating strategies. He also virtually inaugurated Prerna Sthal at Burdang in Sikkim in the memory of 22 soldiers who lost their lives during a glacial lake outburst flood last year.
