Army Day 2021: As India is marking its 73rd Army Day on January 15, Army Chief MM Naravane lauded the sacrifice of the Indian soldiers and at the same time slammed Pakistan over its nefarious infiltration activities. Naravane said that around 300-400 terrorists are sitting in training camps near the border to infiltrate into the Indian territory.
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He termed the year 2020 as a year full of challenges and opportunities and said that the Army stood steadfast in safeguarding the security and territorial integrity of the nation.
Number of ceasefire violations went up by 44 per cent last year, which shows the nefarious intentions of Pakistan, General MM Naravane said on Friday.
He informed that last year, the Army eliminated over 200 terrorists near the Line Of Control and in counter-terrorism operations.
“The Army is taking concrete steps towards its modernisation. Under emergency and fast-track schemes, Army procured equipment worth about Rs 5,000 crores and signed contracts worth Rs 13,000 crores in the last year under capital procurement, he said.
Naravane on China:
In a message aired on All India Radio (AIR) on the eve of the Army Day on Friday, Gen Naravane without naming China said: “We are committed to resolving disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. However, our desire for peace and tranquility should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness.”
"We will stand firm against any attempt to unilaterally change the 'status quo' at our borders, as is evident from the fact that the Army was swift and decisive in its response, while at the same time, preventing the stand-off from escalating further," he said.