New Delhi: The new Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said on Wednesday that the Army will focus on the border with China, giving it the same attention it gives to Pakistan.
‘‘While we have been giving attention in the past to our western front (border with Pakistan), the northern front also requires equal amount of attention. And it is in that context we are now going in for embranchment of our capacities along the northern border," Naravane said.
More important, he said he is confident that India will eventually resolve the border issue with China. "The border question (with China) is yet to be settled.
We have made progress in maintaining peace and tranquillity and by continuing to do so, we will be able to set the stage for an eventual solution," General Naravane said after the Indian Army presented him a Guard of Honour.
The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Aruna-chal Pradesh is part of southern Tibet, while India contests it.
Both sides have been asserting that pend-ing the final resolution of the boundary issue, it is necessary to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
The General also said that ground forces will be kept "operationally ready" to meet any threat posed by terror camps that continue to exist across the border.
In his 37 years of service, Naravane served in numerous command and staff appointments in peace, field and highly active counter-insurgency environments in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast.
On force modernisation, he said, "modernisation is one of the key and priorities area. We have a long term perspective plan based on the analysis of likely threat. These threats keep changing and we keep changing our perspective plan.
"He also said that special attention will be given to the issues of human rights. He said the Indian Army is battle hardened and capable of facing all challenges.
