Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane has said that 2021 was challenging for the security forces due to tensions with China.

On the occasion of Army Day, the COAS talked about the situation at the LAC saying there was disengagement at multiple points after several rounds of talks.

In LOC, the situation is better than last year but Pakistan is still harbouring terrorists near the border, he said.

“Nearly 300 to 400 terrorists are waiting to intrude in India. A total of 144 terrorists were killed in counter operations in Jammu & Kashmir,” he added.

On the role of women in the security forces, the COAS said that Army has taken major steps to give equal opportunity to them and now they can be in a high position and take bigger responsibilities.

This year in NDA, women cadets will also be included and women pilot sanction will begin as Army pilots, he added.

General Naravane also presented awards and unit citations and conferred Sena medals on Major Anil Kumar and Major Mahinder Singh.

On Friday, the COAS had said that India’s desire for peace is born out of strength and should not be mistaken otherwise.

Army stands firm to counter any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo along the country’s borders, he stated.

“Our response to such attempts has been swift, calibrated and decisive as was seen when the situation so demanded,” Naravane said in his speech.

India’s active borders were guarded with resolve and resilience, he said adding that the Indian Army remains at a high state of operational readiness to face ongoing and future challenges.

After a violent clash on May 5, 2020, Indian and Chinese militaries increased their deployment by moving in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

After a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.