New Delhi: In a warning to Pakistan over its "misadventure", Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday said let there be no doubt that such acts will be "repelled with a punitive response".
"Pakistan army time and again resorts to misadventure either through flawed proxy wars and state-sponsored terror or intrusions. Indian Army stands resolute to defend our territory. Let there be no doubt that any misadventure will be repelled with a punitive response," Rawat said on the sidelines of an event.
He further said that future conflicts would be more violent and unpredictable, "where the importance of human factor shall remain undiminished". "Our soldiers are and will remain our primary assets, the Army chief added.
Speaking about activities on border with China, Rawat said that there we no intrusions on Line of Actual Control (LAC).
"Chinese come and patrol to their perceived Line of Actual Control (LAC)...we try and prevent them. But at times there are celebrations that take place at the local levels. Celebrations were going on our side by our Tibetans in the Demchok sector. Based on that, some Chinese also came to see what was happening. But there has been no intrusions. Everything is normal," he said.
His statement comes amidst reports of Chinese soldiers crossing the LAC last week after some Tibetans hoisted Tibetan flags on the occasion of Dalai Lama's birthday on July 6.
India and China share a disputed border and the armies of the two countries were engaged in a stand-off for 73 days in 2017 in Doklam.
Rawat said both sides have different perspectives on the LAC. "There are gaps in between. So both sides patrol and come into each other's areas. Chinese come and patrol to their perceived LAC which we try and prevent. We try and attempt to reach out to LAC or based on the limit of patrolling given to us, we visit those areas," he said.
South Block sources had on Friday said some 11 Chinese in civilian clothes arrived in two vehicles when Ladakhi villagers were celebrating Dalai Lama's birthday on July 6. They then showed them banners and waited there for 30-40 minutes but did not cross the Line of Actual Control, they said. The Tibetans were celebrating the 84th birthday of the Dalai Lama.
"At times, there are celebrations that take place at the local level. Celebrations were going on our side by our Tibetans in the Demchok sector. Based on that, some Chinese also came to see what was happening," Rawat said.
When asked whether the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers were present during the July 6 incident, he said security officials from both sides accompany civilians whenever they go the LAC.
"...when the civilians go forward, obviously there will be PLA and when our civilians go to LAC, the ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) or the Army will accompany them. We are not going to allow the civilians to go the LAC without being monitored. So, both sides will monitor," he said.
The matter was also raised in the flag meetings between the security officials of the two countries, the Army Chief said.
"Everything is normal. You need to dispel this myth that there has been any kind of intrusion or activity by the Chinese which is detrimental to our security," he said.
"We have a very good working relationship with the Chinese. Anytime such things happen, we have the local commanders talking to each other. We are meeting regularly," he added.
(With inputs from PTI)
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