 "In pics: Army chief visits forward posts in Uttarakhand amid China standoff")
Amid border tension with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane visited to Army formations in Uttarakhand to review the security situation and operational preparedness.
India and China are engaged in an eight-month-long standoff at the LAC. Despite several levels of dialogue the deadlock has not ended. Lately, however, there are constructive engagements between both the countries with three-step proposal of disengagement under consideration.
As winter sets in, the troops braving harsh weather are deployed at various heights in Uttarakhand bordering China. The 3,488 km-long India-China border stretches through Jammu and Kashmir (1,597 km), Himachal Pradesh (200 km), Uttarakhand (345 km), Sikkim (220 km) and Arunachal Pradesh (1,126 km). China has allegedly made several incursions into India at Barahoti in Chamoli districts of Uttarakahnd a few years ago.
Army Chief Gen M M Narvane on Thursday undertook an aerial survey of Rimkhim, Niti and Laptal border outposts (BOPs) along the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district.
Gen Naravane began his Uttarakhand tour on Wednesday with a visit to Mana, the last Indian village on the Indo-China border. After a visit to Mana, the Army chief reached the brigade headquarters at Joshimath where he interacted with officials and stayed at night.