When The CDS Spoke About Covid, Kashmir, Terrorism, Pakistan: Watch Gen Rawat's 2020 Interview To ABP News

In early 2020, after Covid-19 struck, CDS Gen Bipin Rawat gave an exclusive interview to ABP News and spoke on subjects ranging from Pakistan, terrorism & Kashmir to challenges posed by the pandemic.

File image of CDS and former Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat | Photo: AFP

New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat was on the Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17V5 helicopter that met with an accident near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, killing him and 12 others, including his wife Madhulika Rawat.

There were 14 people, including Defence Adviser to the CDS Brig LS Lidder, other senior officers and two IAF pilots, on board the chopper. Only one occupant, Gp Capt Varun Singh, survived, the IAF said in a tweet.

General Rawat was appointed India's first CDS in December 2019 after his retirement as the 26th Chief of Army Staff.

In early 2020, soon after the Covid-19 pandemic struck, he gave an exclusive interview to ABP News and spoke on subjects ranging from Pakistan, terrorism and Kashmir to the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Here are some edited excerpts from the interview:

How Indian Armed Forces Are Working To Tackle Covid-19 Threat?

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the armed forces are working along with the central government. The armed forces undertook evacuations in China, Iran, and other places where we sent Indian Air Force's aircraft carriers. In order to provide relief to the citizens from the Covid-19 threat, the Indian armed forces helped in establishing quarantine, and isolation centres. For people affected with the Covid-19 infection, Indian armed forces have allotted hospitals.  Our doctors are working round the clock on the Covid-19 duty. We have also sent some of our doctors to foreign countries to provide aid in battling the pandemic. Firstly, one of our medical team was deployed to the Maldives followed by Kuwait to provide medical facilities. Our Naval ships will extend all support to the evacuation plan drafted by the Union Civil Aviation Ministry.

Pakistan is targeting Kashmir. When do you think there will be a vaccine to defeat the terrorism threat?

It will come in time. The Indian Army in recent times have been able to successfully execute its operations in the Valley because the people have started to realise the ill side of terrorism. After the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, the situation in the Valley has improved. If we keep fetching support from the locals, it is most likely that we will be able to tame down terrorism. However, this doesn't imply that all this will be achieved overnight.

Watch the full interview here: