New Delhi, May 12 : Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande arrived at Leh on Thursday on his maiden visit to the Ladakh region after assuming the command of the Indian Army. He was briefed on the security situation along the borders with special focus on Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army said. “During his three day visit to Ladakh, the Army Chief will visit forward areas in Eastern Ladakh and interact with troops deployed along the LAC in the most difficult and inhospitable terrain in the world,” the Army said. The high level of operational readiness being maintained by the forces while maintaining a high tempo of capability development was highlighted, the Indian Army added. Later, Gen Manoj Pande accompanied by General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi and General Officer Commanding, 14 Corps Lt Gen A Sengupta called on Lieutenant Governer of Union Territory of Ladakh RK Mathur. This was followed by a detailed discussion on issues related to Civil-Military cooperation and the role of Indian Army in developmental activities in the Union Territory of Ladakh, the Indian Army said. The Army Chief, in a recent interaction with journalists on Monday, said that China does not intend to find an early resolution to the overall boundary question. Altering the May 2020 status, the PLA has also carried out construction of infrastructure near the LAC to ensure long survival of troops in the high altitude area. More than 50,000 soldiers continue to be deployed on both sides of the Line of Actual Control.
