Army's Eastern Command chief on four-day visit to Assam, forward areas

The Army's Eastern Command chief Lt Gen R P Kalita has arrived at Tezpur in Assam on a four-day visit to Gajraj Corps, during which he will take part in deliberations on Sino-India boundary issues, officials said on Wednesday.

Defence PRO Lt Col Mahender Rawat said in a statement that Kalita arrived at Tezpur, the headquarters of Gajraj Corps, on Tuesday to visit the forward areas along India's international boundary with China.

"Army's Eastern Command is responsible to safeguard the country's long frontiers in the North East region across some of the most difficult and inhospitable high-altitude and jungle terrains found anywhere on earth. The Army Commander is on a tour to the forward areas," he said.

The continued push for operational preparedness along the northern borders has received a shot in the arm with high priority, fast-paced infrastructure development in the border areas, infusion of latest technology in the Army, and a vigorous discourse on doctrine and strategy, the statement said.

During his stay, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command will also take part in a seminar being organised at Tezpur on Thursday and Friday to keep abreast with the evolving threat on the northern borders, Rawat said.

"The seminar is aimed to further refine the understanding of the diverse contours of the evolution of Sino-India boundary dispute over the decades, Chinese strategic thought process and military transformation, implications and way ahead for India," the PRO said.

The deliberations will include talks and panel discussions by eminent subject matter experts such as senior diplomats, academicians and senior military dignitaries, he added.