Army Vice Chief reviews military preparedness in Ladakh

Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General C P Mohanty on Thursday carried out a comprehensive review of India's military preparedness in eastern Ladakh on the first day of his three-day visit to the region where Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a bitter standoff for over a year.

Both sides are currently engaged in talks to take forward a disengagement process in areas such as Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang, after completing the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February.

The army said Lt Gen P G K Menon, the commander of the Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps, briefed the Vice Chief of Army on the overall security scenario in the strategically sensitive sector.

Lt Gen Menon has been leading the Indian Army delegation at the last several rounds of talks with the Chinese military.

'Lieutenant General C P Mohanty #VCOAS arrived at #Leh today on a three day visit to Fire & Fury Corps. He was briefed by GOC Fire & Fury Corps on the operational situation & preparedness in the Corps Zone,' the army tweeted.

The 14 Corps, popularly known as Fire and Fury Corps, is responsible for guarding the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the Ladakh region.

Last month, Army Chief Gen M M Naravane had visited several high-altitude forward areas in eastern Ladakh.

India and China are locked in a military standoff at multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh since early May last year.

They have completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February following a series of military and diplomatic talks.

There was no visible forward movement in disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points as the Chinese side did not show flexibility in their approach on it at the 11th round of military talks with the Indian Army on April 9.

Following the talks, the Indian Army said both sides held a detailed deliberation on disengagement in remaining areas and agreed to jointly maintain stability on the ground, avoid any new incidents and resolve the outstanding issues in an 'expeditious manner'.

Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the relationship between India and China is at a crossroads and its direction depends on whether the neighbouring country adheres to various agreements on maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border.

Lt Gen Mohanty also presented oxygen concentrators gifted by Army Wives Welfare Association to the Fire and Fury Corps.