New Delhi, Aug 7 Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Friday visited the force's Central Command headquarters in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and reviewed its operational preparedness.
Naravane also met Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and discussed the upcoming defence corridor in the state. He also appraised them of the border tension with China.
The Army chief had visited forward areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday. He had met with field commanders to check the operational preparedness of the armed forces in the forward areas.
General Naravane's visit comes as China has started building up troops, artillery, armour and materials in depth areas in all three sectors western (Ladakh), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal) and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal) of the 3,488-km LAC.
China has also mobilised soldiers near Uttarakhand's Lipulekh Pass, a tri-junction between India, Nepal, and China situated atop the Kalapani Valley.
Since Chinese troops are not moving back as per the consensus, the Indian Army has kicked off a massive logistical exercise for advance winter stocking of rations, specialised clothing, prefabricated shelters, arctic tents, and other equipment. India has deployed over 35,000 troops in Ladakh.
The two countries are locked in a hitherto unprecedented three-month-long stand-off at multiple points on the border.
China had changed the status quo on the LAC at various places, moving inside the Indian territory. India has objected to it and is taking up the matter with China at all levels.
The troop disengagement has happened only at Patrolling Point-14 in the Galwan Valley, the site of the June 15 clashes, and Patrolling Point-15 in Hot Springs.
On June 15, 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops were killed in a violent clash in the Galwan Valley.
( With inputs from IANS )