From LOC to LAC, forces are ready to respond: Modi
STERN MESSAGE Modi refers to Galwan Valley clash, says India’s sovereignty supreme; lays stress on self-reliance in defence sector
NEWDELHI:IN the midst of a border row with China in eastern Ladakh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday India’s sovereignty was supreme and if anyone threatened it — from the Line of Control (LOC) to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) — the armed forces would respond to them “in the same language”.
In his 86-minute Independence Day address to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort, he said: “The world saw what our brave soldiers can do to protect the country’s sovereignty in Ladakh…i bow to India’s soldiers from Red Fort.” “Whenever we set on an extraordinary journey for an extraordinary goal, there are a plethora of extraordinary challenges. In this, there have been attempts to challenge the country’s capability on its border. From the LOC to the LAC, whoever has raised eyes on the sovereignty of the country, the Army has responded in the same language. Respect for India’s sovereignty is supreme for us,” the PM said.
The PM also said India was dealing firmly with terrorism (a reference to Pakistan’s covert warfare) and expansionism (a reference to China’s aggression).
His Ladakh reference was to the brutal skirmish in the remote Galwan Valley where Indian soldiers fought off numerically superior Chinese troops on June 15. Twenty Indian soldiers, including a colonel, were killed in the seven-hour conflict near Patrolling Point 14, where outnumbered Indian troops inflicted heavy casualties on the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Beijing has not disclosed the number of fatalities it suffered.
The PM’S comments on securing India’s sovereignty from LOC to LAC are a stern and clear message of the country’s resolve and political will to defend its frontiers, said former army vice chief Lieutenant General AS Lamba (retd). “The military’s capability and operational readiness to respond to any misadventure or threat has already been exhibited in a recent engagement (Galwan Valley). The PM’S message also directly addresses the leadership of powers that have played negotiations as cover for aggressive posturing and repeated violations of the sanctity of our boundaries,” Lamba said.
Military talks with China on reducing tensions along the LAC have hit a roadblock with the Indian Army taking the hard line with the PLA. India seeks to restore status quo ante of early April in eastern Ladakh.
The PM’S speech covered the significance of self-reliance in the defence sector and steps being taken to attain the goal. He said the government imposed an import ban on 101 types of weapons and ammunition on August 9 — from missiles to transport aircraft and assault rifles to light combat helicopter — to provide a push to self-reliance in the defence sector. He said advanced variants of the locally produced Tejas light combat aircraft were also getting ready.
Modi also spoke of continued upgradation of border infrastructure, naming Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh in particular (regions where China has been aggressive and made expansive claims); and spoke of the development of islands (India has 1300 islands), referring to the laying of submarine optical fibre in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and announcing that within, 1000 days, this would happen in Lakshwadeep too.
With the country turning increasingly digital, the PM said India was aware and cautious of threats. In the backdrop of the government banning 59 Chinalinked apps, he said India was taking decisions to safeguard itself, developing new technologies and would soon announce a new cyber security policy.
And finally, the PM spoke of India’s foreign policy achievements, highlighting its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council by an overwhelming majority. He made a special appeal to leaders in South Asia to work with the spirit of peace and fraternity, and spoke of the idea of an “extended neighbourhood”. With West Asia, India shared special links due to energy cooperation and the large pool of migrant workers — the PM specifically thanked countries in the region for taking care of these workers during the pandemic.