Situation along LAC stable but sensitive: Army Chief Gen Dwivedi (IANS Exclusive)
New Delhi, June 30
Outgoing Indian Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday said the situation along the Line of Actual Control is "stable, but sensitive", while stressing that the armed forces continue to maintain a "robust deployment posture" and are prepared to respond to any contingency.
In an interview with IANS, General Dwivedi emphasised that stability along the northern borders requires constant vigilance, credible preparedness, and sustained engagement through established mechanisms.
When asked about the current situation along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh and subsequent military-diplomatic engagement, the outgoing Army Chief said, "The foremost lesson is that stability along the LAC requires constant vigilance, credible preparedness and sustained engagement through established mechanisms."
"The situation along the Northern Borders is stable, but sensitive. Disengagement agreements have contributed to improving stability on the ground, and both sides are showing greater responsiveness and sensitivity to each other's concerns," he added.
Gen Dwivedi mentioned that local issues arising from differing perceptions of the LAC are addressed through military-to-military interactions, hotlines, flag meetings and commander-level engagements.
"More than a thousand ground-level interactions take place annually between the two sides, helping address routine border management issues and prevent misunderstandings," he said.
At the same time, the outgoing Army Chief said stability does not mean complacency.
"The Indian Army continues to maintain a robust deployment posture and remains prepared to respond to any contingency. Infrastructure development, surveillance, logistics, mobility and capability enhancement along the Northern Borders remain priority areas," he said.
He said that the Indian Army's long-term approach is clear -- maintain peace and tranquillity, resolve local issues through dialogue and established mechanisms, while ensuring that "we remain fully prepared to deal with all contingencies".
Gen Dwivedi also stressed that 'Atmanirbharta' (Indigenisation) is now a "core requirement" of national security and future warfighting.
"In a crisis, the nation must be able to rely on its own systems, its own industrial base and ability to sustain long-duration conflicts," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Respect to Gen Dwivedi for his service, but I feel these statements have become too routine. We keep hearing "stable but sensitive" every few months. Meanwhile, infrastructure along the border is still not where it should be. Hope the next Army Chief pushes for faster modernization and better logistics in Ladakh. Actions speak louder than words.
As an outsider to India, I find the disciplined and measured tone of Indian military leadership impressive. Gen Dwivedi's emphasis on "sustained engagement" and constant vigilance stands in contrast to the more aggressive posturing we see elsewhere. The fact that over 1,000 ground-level meetings happen each year shows a mature approach to border management.
Atmanirbharta in defense is non-negotiable now. Gen Dwivedi rightly pointed out that in a crisis, we need our own systems. We saw during COVID how global supply chains can break. The Army should lead the way in indigenization – from rifles to drones to radars. Every rupee spent on imported weapons is a rupee not strengthening our own industry. Good to see this priority! 👍
Interesting to note how Gen Dwivedi frames the situation as "stable but sensitive" – diplomatic language that acknowledges progress while warning against complacency. The line "stability does not mean complacency" is particularly resonant. I wonder, though, if the thousands of annual meetings are truly effective de-escalation tools or just procedural appearances. Time will tell.
One thing is clear – our jawans and officers are doing an incredible job maintaining peace along the L
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.