Lt. Gen. RP Kalita On the India-China Border Conflict: "Prepared To Meet Any Challenge"

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army's Eastern Command, Lt. General Rana Pratap Kalita, said on Friday that India is always keeping an eye on what is happening across the border and is prepared to handle any difficulties. He made this statement in response to Reuters' story that more battles between Indian and Chinese forces in the Himalayas would occur.

"Eastern Army is in charge of maintaining territorial integrity on eastern borders, and our troops and formations have carried out this duty with the highest professionalism and commitment. As reported by the news agency ANI, "We are always changing and cognizant of upcoming operational issues.

General Kalita said that the situation is "stable" but "unpredictable" at the frontiers of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh due to the "lack of delineation of boundaries."

"There are conflicting views on the LAC, but the situation in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh is calm at the moment but unpredictable due to the lack of boundary delineation."

Regarding the increasing Chinese soldier presence along the China-India border, he added, "We have read that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is building infrastructure along the lower borders and that there has been a progressive rise in troop deployment opposite our areas.

"The number of (Chinese) soldiers stationed in these locations is impossible to estimate. However, he said, "We are regularly and carefully observing the changes in these sectors.

He said that this is a national and political matter and refused to speak when asked how a soldier feels when questioned about the operation and political leaders for evidence.

"Since this is a political and national problem, I would prefer not to speak much. However, people who are voicing concerns should have faith in the Indian Army and its actions."

"The last year saw deep changes in global dynamics," he added. "These changes took the shape of security and economic ramifications from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the steady movement of power centre to the Indo-Pacific area, and sudden important events in our neighbourhood."