Lot of China claims ‘bunkum’: Army chief Gen Naravane

While underlining the indispensability of dialogue to ease the ensuing India-China tension, Indian Army’s chief Gen Naravane says many of China’s claims are to be questioned, reports senior journalist Sanjib Kr Baruah.

New Delhi: While firmly asserting that the sole way ahead for resolution of the India-China standoff lay through ‘discussion and dialogue’ based on mutual and equal security, Chief of Army Staff Gen M M Naravane on Tuesday indicated that one has to take the prolific Chinese claims of ‘military achievements’ and ‘scientific breakthroughs’ with a pinch of salt.

“A lot of their (Chinese) claims are bunkum. I have read many media reports on this. Their use of microwave weapons in east Ladakh (for example). One should not take such claims at face value. Many of their military equipment given to other countries, including submarines to Bangladesh are taking in water,” Gen Naravane said on the sidelines of the customary annual press meet of the Army chief before the Army Day celebrations.

ETV Bharat had asked him if the Chinese effort to integrate traditional warfare techniques with hybrid, cyber and space warfare techniques will create any asymmetry in the existing military balance between India and China in the immediate future.

Incidentally, on Tuesday, state-controlled Chinese media declared that the PLA Western Theater Command had completed a 20,000 km panoramic, high-precision geo-mapping of the western border region based on 3D geographic information from remote sensing images and joint situational precognition that is accurate to ‘centimetre level accuracy’.

From drone-supplied ‘hot food’ for soldiers deployed at high altitudes to attack by microwave weapons to special winter clothing that is broadcast prominently on the state-controlled media, China’s recent claims underline the fact that a major information warfare offensive is on.

Gen Naravane also pointed out that no much should be read into recent media reports of PLA pushing back about 10,000 troops into rear areas across eastern Ladakh as there has been no reduction in troop deployments in the friction points where both armies are locked in eyeball-to-eyeball situations.

“Every year PLA troops come to traditional training areas (in Tibet) for training. With the onset of winters and completion of the training period, the training areas have been vacated and since these training areas have been vacated, it is fair to assume that those troops who were in-depth areas on the Tibetan Plateau have gone back to their garrison. However there is no decrease in strength either on their side or on our side as far as friction points are concerned,” he said.

Indian and Chinese militaries have been engaged in a tense faceoff situation across many points on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh for the past none months resulting in a huge and unprecedented mobilization of troops and military assets in the region.

Eight rounds of military and diplomatic talks have already taken place between the two sides besides a slew of meetings at the defence minister, foreign minister and other levels.

Pointing out that while the threat of collusivity by Pakistan and China forming a potent threat is a concern, he said India will have to be prepared to deal with a ‘two-front’ threat scenario.

Warning Pakistan and calling it an adherent to the doctrine of terrorism as a state policy, Gen Naravane said India reserves the right to respond “at a time and place of our own choosing and with precision”.