Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 10: Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag today reviewed Army’s preparedness along China and Pakistan borders in Ladakh sector during his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after taking over as new Chief of Army Staff from Gen Bikram Singh on July 31.
Gen Suhag reached Leh this morning on three days visit of Ladakh region during which he would receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also visiting cold desert region for the first time after taking over as Prime Minister, on August 12. Modi will also address the troops at Leh Garrison. However, he will not visit Siachen Glacier as proposed earlier.
Gen Suhag also visited strategically important Siachen Glacier, the highest mountain battlefield and addressed the troops there.
Defence spokesman (Ministry of Defence) Col SD Goswami said Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh reached Leh this morning on a three days visit of Ladakh. He said the Army chief during his first visit to Ladakh was accompanied by General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Northern Command Lt Gen DS Hooda and was received at the Leh Airport by Lt Gen BS Negi, GOC 14 Corps.
Col Goswami said the Army chief had a detailed interaction with the Northern Command Army chief and GOC 14 corps on prevailing security environment, infrastructure development projects and various initiatives taken by the Army in Ladakh region.
Gen Dalbir Singh also reviewed logistical infrastructure available to the soldiers.
Official sources said the new Army chief had prolonged meeting with Lt Gen Hooda and Lt Gen Negi on Army’s preparedness along China frontiers in Leh and Pakistan in Leh and Kargil. India shared long boundary with China in Leh and Pakistan in Leh and Kargil, falling in Ladakh sector.
Sources said Lt Gen Hooda and Lt Gen Negi apprised the Army chief about deployments of troops, infrastructure and requirements on the frontiers with two neighbours. The Army chief also reviewed the activities of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China along Leh sector.
Though some transgressions have been reported by the PLA in Leh in the recent past, the LAC with China is by and large peaceful.
Sources said Gen Suhag visited Siachen Glacier, the highest mountain battle field in the world and addressed the troops at Siachen base camp. He paid tributes to the brave soldiers, who had laid down their lives in Siachen by laying floral wreath at the Siachen War Memorial.
In his address, the Army chief applauded the efforts put in by the brave soldiers of Siachen Brigade in manning the highest battlefield in the most adverse weather conditions.
Tomorrow, Gen Dalbir Singh will also visit forward posts of Eastern Ladakh, where India shared Line of Actual Control (LAC) with Ladakh and hold on spot review of the preparedness of the troops. The Army chief will return to New Delhi in the evening of August 12.
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