Indian Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi Discusses India-China Relations and Military Readiness
New Delhi, India – Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi highlighted the complex nature of dealing with tensions with China. He emphasized that India must compete, cooperate, coexist, confront, and contest with China. General Dwivedi stated, “As far as China is concerned, it has been intriguing our minds for quite some time. With China, you have to compete, cooperate, coexist, confront, and contest.”
He explained that the situation is stable but not normal and sensitive. “We want the situation to be restored back to what it was before April 2020, whether in terms of the ground occupation situation or the buffer zones that have been created,” he said. He reiterated the military’s readiness, stating, “Until that situation is restored, the situation will remain sensitive, and we are fully operationally prepared to face any kind of contingency. Trust has become the biggest casualty.”
When asked about the progress of ongoing talks, General Dwivedi shared that both sides have engaged in approximately 17 Corps Commander-level talks since April. “We have come a long way. Now, when we have a difficult situation, both sides need to find a win-win solution,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, earlier in September, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) provided an update on the current state of India-China relations, characterizing them as ongoing dialogue and efforts to resolve tensions through the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) meetings. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has consistently addressed the relationship in various forums, emphasizing transparency and providing regular updates on the progress of WMCC discussions.
Responding to a question on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s statement that 75 percent of disengagement problems between India and China have been resolved, Jaiswal said, “External Affairs Minister has spoken on India-China relations on several occasions. Recently, he spoke in Berlin. He also spoke about it in New Delhi when he attended an event here. We have also been keeping you informed about the developments on our talks with the WMCC.”
Notably, Jaishankar during his visit to Geneva spoke about the relationship between India and China and said that “75 percent of disengagement problems are sorted out.”
India and China held the 31st meeting of the WMCC in Beijing on August 29, and the two sides had decided to jointly uphold peace and tranquility on the ground in border areas in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements and protocols.
Since May 2020, when the Chinese troops tried to aggressively change the status quo on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, both sides have been deployed in forward positions near Patrolling Point 15, which emerged as a friction point in the wake of the Galwan clash. Over 50,000 Indian soldiers have been stationed since 2020 at forward posts along the LAC, with advanced weapons to prevent any attempts to change the status quo unilaterally on the LAC.
Doubts Revealed
Indian Army Chief -: The Indian Army Chief is the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Army. He is responsible for overseeing all army operations and making important decisions about the country’s defense.
Upendra Dwivedi -: Upendra Dwivedi is the current Chief of the Indian Army. He leads the army and represents it in important discussions and decisions.
India-China relations -: India-China relations refer to the diplomatic and political interactions between India and China. These two countries share a long border and sometimes have disagreements about it.
Military readiness -: Military readiness means how prepared the army is to respond to any threats or conflicts. It includes having trained soldiers, equipment, and plans in place.
Ministry of External Affairs -: The Ministry of External Affairs is a part of the Indian government that handles India’s relationships with other countries. They work on diplomacy, international agreements, and resolving conflicts.
External Affairs Minister -: The External Affairs Minister is a government official in charge of the Ministry of External Affairs. S. Jaishankar is the current minister responsible for managing India’s foreign relations.
Disengagement issues -: Disengagement issues refer to the process of both India and China moving their troops back from the border to reduce tensions and avoid conflicts.
LAC -: LAC stands for Line of Actual Control. It is the disputed border line between India and China where both countries have their military forces.