'Nothing can deter Indian forces': Bipin Rawat visits forward bases along China border in Arunachal, Assam

New Delhi, Jan 02: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat on Saturday visited forward military bases along the China border in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The visit comes on a day Rawat completed one year in office, Chief of Defence Staff.

Speaking at the occasion, Rawat said nothing can deter the Indian Armed Forces on remaining steadfast in their call for duty.

After witnessing measures adopted by troops to maintain effective surveillance and enhanced operational readiness, General Rawat said, "Only Indian soldiers could remain vigilant under such challenging situations ever willing to go beyond the call of duty to safeguard the borders."

On January 1, 2020. Rawat took charge of India's first-ever Chief of Defense Staff.

The CDS is responsible for synergising training, logistics, procurements and planning between the Army, the Indian Air Force and the Navy. Although a four-star general like the Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs, General Rawat will act as the 'first among equals' and arbitrator in matters where the three services express differences.

The visit also significant as it comes amid the military standoff with Chinese Army at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

In the last one year, Gen Rawat along with the top brass of the three services carried out ground work to establish an air defence command and a Peninsula command initially. The IAF will helm the air defence command and all-long range missiles as well as air defence assets will come under it.

The CDS has been part of the top military brass framing strategies to enhance India''s military prowess in view of the eastern Ladakh row.

Nearly 50,000 troops of the Indian Army are deployed in a high state of combat readiness in various mountainous locations in eastern Ladakh as multiple rounds of talks between the two sides have not yielded concrete outcome to resolve the standoff.

China has also deployed an equal number of troops, according to officials.

The eighth and last round of military talks had taken place on November 6 during which both sides broadly discussed disengagement of troops from specific friction points.