Amidst the ongoing India-China standoff and heightened tensions at the Line of Actual Control, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat told the Parliament's Standing Committee on Defence that the “armed forces were ready for any eventuality.”
Convened on Friday, 11 September, the meeting was centered around the topic on agenda, “provision and monitoring of the quality of ration and livery items to the defence forces.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been a staunch critic of India’s response to China, was also in attendance for the first time.
‘Will Give Befitting Reply in Case of Any Misadventure’
General Rawat informed the committee that “the armed forces had taken adequate steps and measures to thwart any attempt by China to further change or alter the status quo along the LAC,” reported NDTV.
According to Times of India, sources stated that National Congress Party’s leader Sharad Pawar had put forward questions on the recent developments at the LAC.
The general assured the members present that the armed forces are on alert and “will give a befitting reply to the Chinese in case of any misadventure that takes place along the border.”
General Rawat’s comments come after the foreign ministers of India and China, S Jaishankar and Wang Yi, issued a joint statement agreeing to “abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.”
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)