Srinagar, June 3 — A senior Army official on Wednesday said that there was no impact on anti-militancy operations being carried out by security forces in Kashmir valley due to tension with China along Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.
Meanwhile, as the standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies continued along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh, an “emergency landing and runway strip” is being constructed along the Srinagar-Jammu national highway in south Kashmir district of Anantnag.
“As the tension with Chinese army is in another region, there will be no effect on the anti-militancy operations by security forces in Kashmir valley because of it,” General Operation Commanding (GOC) Victor Force, A Sengupta said while answering a question during a press conference here on Wednesday.
Refusing to answer a question related the airstrip, he said that it is an Indian Army Force initiative and he would not be able to comment on that.
Official sources said that the 3.5-km-long airstrip on the Srinagar-Banihal highway is being constructed on war footing. “Currently, the earth filling work is being done on the stretch,” they added.
The construction of the ’emergency airstrip’ in south Kashmir comes in the backdrop of standoff between the two armies along LAC in Ladakh. Tensions have been intensifying with both countries building up troops on either side of the border.
However, the border dispute between India and China is set to turn a new page with negotiations to be hosted between senior military officers on June 6.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday told a news channel that a ‘large number of Chinese are present in the disputed area and our troops are also holding ground’.
“In the recent crisis, the Chinese have been claiming that in their perception their border is at a particular place. We are saying it is at another place and because of this, there is a difference of opinion. Their forces have come in, in good number and we have sent our troops there in sufficient numbers too,” Mr Singh said.
Troops of both countries have been engaged in a standoff in Ladakh for over three weeks at Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok, and Daulat Beg Oldie.
