Army Chief visits Ladakh to review preparedness amid border row with China; prepared to meet any challenges [details]

Amid conflicting reports about the entry of Chinese soldiers in Uttarakhand, Army Chief General MM Naravane on Friday reached Ladakh to review the prevailing security situation on the border.

"General MM Naravane COAS visited forward areas in Eastern Ladakh, where he was briefed on the prevailing security situation and operational preparedness. COAS also interacted with the troops and complimented them for their resoluteness and high morale," the Army tweeted from its official Twitter handle.

The aim of the Army Chief's two-day visit to Ladakh is to assess operational preparedness as the military tussle with China in the region continues with no final resolution to the tensions that started in May last year.

During his visit, Army Chief will interact with troops deployed in Ladakh. After reaching Ladakh General MM Naravane visited RezangLa War Memorial in EasternLadakh and paid homage to the Bravehearts who laid down their lives for the nation.

General MM Naravane also called on Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Radha Krishna Mathur at the Raj Bhavan and discussed the prevailing security scenario in the Union Territory.

Chinese soldiers transgress into Uttarakhand, damage bridge: Report

Earlier it was reported in a section of media that some Chinese soldiers entered Uttarakhand and damaged a bridge before returned to China. According to the reports, the soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) transgressed at least five kilometres inside the Indian territory through the Tunjun-La pass.

Chinese soldiers had come on 55 horses, damaged Indian infrastructure, and left before they could be confronted by the Indian troops.

As per media reports, the transgression by Chinese troops was reported by locals, after which teams from the Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police were dispatched to verify the report.

We are well-prepared to meet any challenge: Army Chief

Earlier on Thursday, the Army Chief Border has made it clear that incidents between India and China will continue to occur till a boundary agreement is reached between the two countries.

"We have an outstanding border issue. We are again well prepared to meet any misadventure that may occur as we have demonstrated in the past", he said.

"Such kinds of incidents will continue to occur till such time that a long-term solution is reached, and that is to have a boundary agreement. And that should be the thrust of our efforts so that we have lasting peace along the northern (China) border," he stated during the annual session meeting of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry at New Delhi on Thursday.