CDS Gen Rawat warns Pakistan of trying to take advantage amid LAC faceoff with China

Amid the ongoing border tensions with China in eastern Ladakh, Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat on Thursday said the armed forces have taken precautions to thwart any "misadventure" by Pakistan if it tries to take advantage of any threat developing along India's northern borders.

'In fact, they may suffer losses'

"Should any threat develop along our northern borders, Pakistan could take advantage of that to create some trouble for us. We have taken precautions that any such misadventure by Pakistan is thwarted. In fact, they may suffer losses should they attempt such misadventure," said General Rawat warning Islamabad.

In an interactive session at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, he said Pakistan has been engaged in a proxy war against India and pushing terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir, adding Pakistan attempted to spread terrorism in other parts of India as well. General Rawat said India wants peace and tranquillity across its borders.

'We are capable of handling these'

He said that there have been some aggressive actions by China and the forces were capable of dealing with threats along the borders. "We want peace and tranquillity across our borders. Off late, we have been seeing some aggressive actions by China but we are capable of handling these. Our tri-services are capable of dealing with threats along our frontiers," he said.

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General Rawaat said China's economic cooperation with Pakistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir along with its continued military, economic and diplomatic support requires high levels of "preparations" by India. "At the same time it poses the threat of coordinated action along the northern and western fronts which we have to consider in our defence planning," he said.

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General Rawat also said that those who are "deployed on the frontline, flying our aircraft, deployed at our ships at sea, none of them are affected due to COVID-19 so far". The Chief of Defence Staff also said that India and USA have signed several defence agreements with potential for more such agreements in the near future. "We are certain this will enable better strategic collaboration between the two countries, within the autonomy we have maintained so far," he said.

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(With agency inputs)