Stating that the country will never forget the supreme sacrifice of those who laid down their lives in the Galwan clash last year , Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday reiterated commitment for resolving disputes with neighbouring countries through dialogue, but assured that safety and security of the nation will not be compromised at any cost.
Also read: A year after Galwan clash, China beefing up positions along LAC
“Efforts should be made to find a solution through dialogue with neighbouring countries. The intention should be clear. We neither want to show eyes to anyone, nor do we accept anyone raise eyes at us. Our Army has the capability to give a befitting reply to every challenge,” Mr. Singh said. He interacted with officers and soldiers of the 14 Corps at Karu Military Station in Ladakh.
Mr. Singh is an a three-day visit to Ladakh to review the security situation on the ground as India and China prepare for the 12th round of Corps Commander talks to take forward the disengagement process in Eastern Ladakh. This is also his first visit to the region since the first phase of disengagement in February, in which both sides pulled back thousands of troops, tanks and armoured vehicles from Pangong Tso.
“We are the priests of world peace. Even when we take up weapons that is to establish peace. Till date, India has neither attacked any country, nor have we captured an inch of land of any country.”
63 bridges inaugurated
Mr. Singh inaugurated 63 bridges, built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) located in six States and two Union Territories (UTs), at an event held at Kyungam, 88 km from Leh. “I’m confident that the bridges inaugurated today will play a crucial role in strengthening security as well as promoting the economic development of the respective states through improved connectivity,” he said.
Also read: The Hindu Explains | Who does Galwan Valley belong to?
One of them is a 50-metre single span steel super structure bridge constructed on the Leh-Loma Road in Ladakh and replaces a bailey bridge. This will ensure unhindered movement of heavy weapon systems including guns, tanks and other specialised equipment, the Defence Ministry said. “The Leh-Loma Road, which connects Leh with places such as Chumathang, Hanley and Tso Morori Lake, is vital for access to forward areas in Eastern Ladakh.”
Eleven of the bridges are in Ladakh, four in Jammu and Kashmir, three in Himachal Pradesh, six in Uttarakhand, eight in Sikkim, one each in Nagaland and Manipur and 29 in Arunachal Pradesh built at a combined cost of ₹240 crore.
On the decision to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh into two Union Territories, Mr. Singh said the strong and visionary steps have bolstered national unity, led to major reduction in terrorist activities sponsored from outside and opened new avenues for the socio-economic development of the people.
The standoff in Eastern Ladakh, which began in early May last year, continues and the two sides have held several rounds of talks for disengagement from all the friction points and subsequent de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. Last week, India and China held the 22nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs at the diplomatic level.
