Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General M.M. Naravane issued a stern warning to China on Tuesday. He said that Indian Army w is t same as it was in 1962 and also reminded that it was China who was caught off guard during Doklam stand-off. ding to that Eastern Army Commander said that if Chinese Army transgressed Line of Actual Control (LAC) 100 times, Indian troops have done so on twice as many occasions.

Lieutenant General M.M. Naravane, Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, said: “ Doklam standoff gave a clear signal that Indian Armed Forces are pushovers." When former Chief of Air Force, Arup Raha, asked about lessons from 1962 conflict between India and China and measures taken to rectify problems, Lt Gen said: "We are longer Army of 62. If China says don't repeat history, we have to also tell m same thing." 1962 was t a military debacle. It was a political debacle. All Army units fought well and did ir assigned task," he said.

"I do t see '62 as a black mark on Army and armed forces. We have learned our lessons and what went wrong. Over years, we have been trying to bridge that capability gap. It is t easy to overcome those gaps in a short time frame as we also have budgetary constraints," Lt Gen Naravane said. He also ded that 1962 was a political debacle and that Army has come a long way after that conflict.

RE | Army Unruffled Over Pakistan's Nuke Bogey, 't A Pushover' For China

Lieutenant General Naravane on Doklam standoff

Speaking about build-ups at Doklam by Chinese, Lieutenant General said that India has kept up with developments done at Chinese side. He ded, "We have come a long way and China especially realises that. In fact, China was caught unprepared in Doklam standoff."

He also mentioned that China was caught unprepared during 2017 Doklam standoff. reference was to a 73-day-long military face-off, seen as most serious in deces, on Bhutan’s Doklam plateau. “y thought that y would get away by being a regional bully but we stood up to bully," Lieutenant General M.M. Naravane said at an interaction on ‘Defending our Borders’ at Bharat Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata. Indian Armed Forces are capable of taking on any versary, he ded.

RE | Balochistan: Pakistan Army Thrashes Baloch Civilians In Video

'Pakistan can keep raising its “nuclear bogey”, India will t be scared of such threats'

Lieutenant General M.M. Naravane reacted to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on nuclear capabilities of two neighbours during an dress to his country on Monday. “y can keep raising nuclear bogey, we are t scared of that,” Army vice-chief designate said, ding, "If re is any conflict today, we will fight. We have eugh. We do t need to worry."

RE | Indian Army Busts Pakistan Army's Fake Propaganda On Indian Casualties

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of Constitution, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his meeting with US President Donald Trump on sidelines of G7 Summit in France on Monday, h categorically rejected any scope for third party mediation between India and Pakistan on Kashmir. Khan has said he will raise Kashmir issue at every international forum, including UN General Assembly. “Will se big countries keep looking at ir ecomic interests only? y should remember, both countries have nuclear weapons,” Khan said in his dress.

RE | Here's What China Said On Pakistan Army Chief Term Extension

Abrogation of Article 370

Speaking on revoking of special status of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant General M.M. Naravane said that Article 370 was removed as it outlived its utility. He said that Article 370 h a meaning at time it was incorporated. “It was an enabling provision, it has outlived its utility and so has been removed, everything at that point of time h meaning. That is why it was re, but it does t mean situation never changes. What has to be achieved was achieved. It was longer required w." Naravane also said that it is t true that people of Jammu and Kashmir are t welcoming change, and pointed out that 55 per cent of w-bifurcated state constitutes Lakh.

(With PTI inputs)