New Delhi: Army chief General Dhiraj Seth visited Joshimath and Mana in Uttarakhand to check how ready Indian forces are along the middle part of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The visit comes as Indian and Chinese troops continue to face off at several places in Arunachal Pradesh.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Army said Gen. Seth was briefed about operational readiness, combat preparedness and infrastructure work in the area.
Speaking to soldiers, he said there was a need for “greater technology integration, continuous capability enhancement and sustained operational vigilance” to deal with “evolving security challenges”.
The visit follows an August agreement reached in Beijing between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Under it, Joshimath and Tawang were chosen as Indian-side places for Corps Commander-level talks with the PLA in the middle and eastern sectors.
Both sides also agreed to set up new military hotlines for these sectors, linking the Army’s Central and Eastern Commands with their Chinese counterparts, as reported by The New Indian Express.
India already has border personnel meeting points at Chushul and Daulat Beg Oldi in Ladakh, Nathu La in Sikkim, and Bum La and Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh.
Tension Continues In Arunachal
The standoff near Asaphila in Upper Subansiri district has been going on since late July. Last week, Indo-Tibetan Border Police chief Shatrujeet Kapur said face-offs with Chinese troops were still happening at several places along the border.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that Chinese troops had sometimes moved away from normal patrolling patterns, which had disturbed the situation on the border.
Joshimath is an important Army cantonment and a base for troops sent to the China border. It lies where the Dhauliganga meets the Alaknanda, below the Niti and Mana valleys—old routes that once connected Garhwal with Tibet.
The town showed its weakness during the 2023 land subsidence crisis, when 25-28 Army buildings developed cracks and troops had to be moved.
Barahoti, about 100 km from Joshimath, was the first Indian territory claimed by China, in 1954. In August 2021, more than 100 PLA soldiers reportedly entered the area, damaged a bridge and left.
Focus On Border Villages
Gen. Seth also visited Mana, called India’s “first village”, where he praised Army personnel and locals for promoting tourism, protecting culture and creating jobs.
At about 3,200 metres, Mana is the last village before Mana Pass, an old trade route to Tibet’s Ngari region. The border is around 26 km away.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Mana the country’s “first village” in October 2022. The Vibrant Villages Programme aims to stop people from leaving border villages and respond to China’s ‘xiaokang’ villages built near the LAC.
