India wants to have constructive engagement with China along the northern borders, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag said on Friday, holding that there has been a significant improvement in understanding between the two countries on the boundary front.
Even though intrusions have taken place in the disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control (LoAC), there has been a significant improvement in understanding between the two countries, he said, addressing the Army Day parade in the national Capital.
"India wants to have constructive engagement with China along the northern borders," Suhag said. The Army Chief pitched for modernisation of weapons and equipment to counter different kinds of challenges facing the force.
He complimented the soldiers for giving a befitting reply to the enemy at the LoC which has been "active" due to cross-border firing and continuous infiltration attempts.
Referring to modernisation, Suhag said to counter different kinds of challenges and commitments, it is important to modernise weapons and equipment. He said he was happy that the government has sanctioned a number of modern weapons and equipment in the last one year. The priority for the Army was new artillery guns, upgradation of mechanised forces, enhancement of Army aviation capabilities, he said. Suhag said the Army has already started induction of weaponised version of Advanced Light Helicopter.
Earlier this week, Suhag had said that acquisition of artillery guns, third generation missiles, upgrading armoured vehicles, augmenting Army aviation and strengthening infantry were among "critical areas" for force modernisation that are being fast-tracked.
In Kolkata, Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, Air Commodore M Rawat, officiating Air Officer Commanding Advance HQ, Eastern Air Command and Commodore Ravi Ahluwalia, Naval Officer-in-Charge, laid wreaths at Vijay Smarak in Fort William to mark the 68th Army Day.
Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year in recognition of Lt Gen (later Field Marshal) KM Carriappa taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army on Jan 15, 1949.
It is also an occasion to remember the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation. The Army had earlier conducted medical, dental and blood donation camps and also interacted with war veterans.
In Mathura, the base of the army's Strike Corps 1, Lieutenant General Shokin Chauhan, General Officer Commanding, laid a wreath at the War Memorial on behalf of all ranks of the corps to pay homage to brave Indian soldiers, who sacrificed their life protecting the country.