'No blinking or brinkmanship': India-China standoff under control; #StopLiesAgainstArmy

Is Rahul Gandhi being an alarmist when he tweets, “The Chinese have walked in and taken our territory in Ladakh. Meanwhile. The PM is absolutely silent and has vanished from the scene?" Can sensitive matters like a border standoff be discussed in this causal manner? Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has assured the nation that national security will not be compromised and people will not be kept in the dark. “Anyone can question but not at a time when military-level talks are going on,” said the RM. 

India-China standoff under control

Since the border standoff, several reports have been published by former Army commanders and veterans suggesting that Indian territory has been relinquished to the Chinese. Sweeping statements without much ground knowledge has only jeopardized the current situation. The government has maintained that the talks are going in the right direction and it is evident from the de-escalation witnessed in the last few days. While there are still some contentious issues, the government, as well as the Army, maintains that the situation will be resolved in an amicable manner.

Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane, while speaking to the media at the IMA passing out parade, said, “The situation at the LAC will be resolved through dialogue.” And this has been echoed by the Defence Minister in an interview with Republic TV.

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Gen Vinod Bhatia's statement 

Speaking to Republic World, Lt. Gen (Retd) Vinod Bhatia, Director General of Military Operations said, “The present situation along the India China-LAC is stable albeit sensitive. In the security domain, every detail can not be made public as it will be detrimental to an early and mutually acceptable resolution as per established mechanisms and agreements.” He added.

“There is a need to trust the Army which is effective and will ensure territorial integrity. The military to military talks at the borders are indicative of a peaceful resolution. India stands firm, with its stance of  'NO BLINKING NO BRINKMANSHIP'. Certain inimical elements especially our Western adversary would like the situation to spiral. Hence we need to be cautious keeping in view the sensitivities of the situation.”

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A veteran like Lt. Gen (Retd) DS Hooda, Former Northern Commander, reiterated the same point. Gen. Hooda in fact has had a similar experience while dealing with a standoff in Chumur, Ladakh during his tenure as the Northern Commander. “In sensitive cases, the government cannot put all the details as it might jeopardize the progress of the negotiations. It is, therefore, necessary to be prudent in our reporting,” he said.

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