NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the situation on the LAC was due to China ignoring the protocols based on which the armies of both countries carried out patrolling.
Referring to the stand-off in East Ladakh in 2020, he said, "The Chinese Army ignored the agreed protocols and unilaterally tried to change the status quo on the LAC." He lauded the valour and dedication of the Indian Army which prevented the attempts by the PLA to change the status quo.
Addressing a ‘National Security Conclave’ in Jammu, he reiterated the government’s stand to resolve the border issue through dialogue and in a peaceful manner. He added that talks are continuing at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the dispute. “We will never let the sanctity of our borders be violated,” he said.
Rajnath asserted that India has witnessed a paradigm shift in its security scenario in the last nine years. He said that India’s image in 2013-14 was that of a weak nation which allowed its adversaries to create problems, but today the country has the ability to overcome every threat.
“For a long time, Pakistan has tried to destabilise peace and harmony in the country through cross-border terrorism. However, when we came to power, we launched an effective action against terrorism. We showed the world the meaning of ‘zero tolerance against terrorism’. The bold and first-of-its-kind moves to eliminate terrorists following the Uri and Pulwama incidents are proof of India’s ‘zero tolerance against terrorism’ policy and the unmatched valour of the Armed Forces,” the minister said.
Rajnath added that the network of terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir has substantially weakened in the last few years as strict and consistent action is being taken. “Terror funding has been curbed. Supply of arms and drugs to terrorists has been stopped. Along with elimination of terrorists, work is being done to dismantle the network of underground workers,” he said.
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On PoK, Rajnath said that Pakistan does not have a locus standi as it has illegally occupied the area. The Indian Parliament has unanimously passed at least three resolutions, which state that PoK is a part of India, he said.
“India does not want to depend on imported weapons. Our national security will only be strengthened when we become self-reliant in defence manufacturing. Our aim is to ‘Make in India, Make for the world’. Our efforts are bearing fruit. Today, we are manufacturing tanks, aircraft carriers, submarines and various kinds of weapons. Defence exports have crossed Rs 16,000 crore from a meagre Rs 900 crore before 2014. The exports will soon touch the Rs 20,000 crore mark,” he said.
Rajnath underlined the importance of coordination with major world powers, such as the US and Russia, to protect India’s security interests in this globalised world. He stated that India and US are being seen as natural allies and their strategic partnership is being further cemented.
The minister added that India-US defence cooperation has grown rapidly with the expansion of military-to-military engagements, information sharing and cooperation in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, cyber, space and mutual logistics support. He termed the Prime Minister’s recent visit to the US as a landmark event, which ushered in a new era of bilateral defence cooperation.
Rajnath called for an integrated and united response to deal with global threats and challenges. “India is a major regional power. Therefore, it is important for us to align our security concerns with other countries in our extended neighbourhood,” he said.
