Ready to take PoK whenever govt gives go-ahead: Army chief Naravane

While maintaining that both Northern and Western frontiers are equally important for India, Army chief General M.M. Naravane on Saturday said whenever government gives the go-ahead, his force is ready to take away Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

Making it clear that accordingly rebalancing of deployment of the forces and weapons are being carried out, the General commenting on Pakistan occupied Kashmir said: "If Parliament wants that area should be taken we will definitely do so and action will be taken accordingly."

The Indian Army chief's comments came at the annual press conference, where he said there was a parliamentary resolution that entire erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir is part of India. Whenever the government directs it will be done.

 

Naravane stressed: "If that be the mandate so be it."

Last year in October, the then army chief and now the country's first Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat had said that the PoK territory is illegally occupied by Pakistan.

"The territory is not controlled by the Pakistani establishment, it is controlled by terrorists. Pakistan administered Kashmir is actually a terrorist controlled country or a terrorist controlled part of Pakistan," Rawat stated.

In September 2019, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had said that PoK is a part of India. "We expect one day we will have physical jurisdiction over it," he said.

On August 5, 2019, Home Minister Amit Shah had asserted in Lok Sabha that PoK and Aksai Chin are part of Jammu and Kashmir and that Kashmir Valley is an integral part of the country.

Moving a resolution for abrogating some provisions of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019, Shah had said "Kashmir is an integral part of India, there is no doubt over it.

"When I talk about Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Aksai Chin are included in it," he said.

On border issue with China, India have had several rounds of talks. General Naravane said their priorities are to maintain peace and tranquility on the border. "We are conscious of the fact there are threats from the both side," he said.

On his recent visit to Siachen, General Naravane said: "As far as land borders are concerned this is where (Siachen) the two countries -- (China and Pakistan) are the closest. So the chance for collusivity is the most. Here and in Shaksgam valley."

About the China border, he said: "We have to balance our requirement. On northern border we are going in for capacity building, roads, habitats, storage for weapons by moving advanced weapons towards eastern side."