The new Indian army chief, Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane continued from where General Bipin Rawat left. After threatening to carry out “preemptive strikes” in Pakistan earlier this month, the new Indian army chief went one step ahead and said his force would take steps to take control of Pakistan-Controlled-Kashmir if the Indian government gave such an order.
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Speaking at a news conference, Gen Naravane warned of a possible collaboration between Pakistan and China in Siachen with any link-up between the two all-weather friends in the region posing a threat to Ladakh, according to the Indian media.
#WATCH Army Chief on if PoK can be part of India as stated by political leadership: There is a parliamentary resolution that entire J&K is part of India.If Parliament wants it,then,PoK also should belong to us. When we get orders to that effect, we'll take appropriate action pic.twitter.com/P8Rbfwpr2x
— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2020
He also said India and China would set up a hotline between senior military commanders to ensure better communication to maintain peace and stability along their common borders.
Recalling that a 1994 resolution of the Indian parliament had stated that the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir belonged to India, Gen Naravane said: “There is a parliamentary resolution that entire Jammu and Kashmir is part of India. If parliament wants that area (Pakistan-Controlled-Kashmir) should be taken we will definitely do so and appropriate action will be taken accordingly.”
Pakistan Responds
Pakistan’s chief military spokesperson responded by saying that the ‘routine rhetoric’ was aimed at diverting attention from ongoing internal turmoil.
“Statements by Indian COAS to undertake military action across LoC (Line of Control) are routine rhetoric for domestic audiences to get out of ongoing internal turmoil,” Major General Asif Ghafoor, the director-general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a tweet.
“Pakistan’s armed forces are fully prepared to respond to any act of Indian aggression,” he added.
Statements by Indian COAS to undertake military action across LOC are routine rhetoric for domestic audiences to get out of ongoing internal turmoil.
Pakistan Armed Forces are fully prepared to respond to any act of Indian aggression.— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) January 11, 2020
