Confrontations On LAC Could Escalate Into Larger Conflict With China: Bipin Rawat

Picture courtesy Aajkaal

New Delhi: Border tensions and intrusions by the Chinese Army may escalate into a larger conflict between the two countries, chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat said on Friday ruling out the possibility of a full-scale war.

“Our posturing is unambiguous — status quo has to be restored,” General Rawat was quoted as saying by The Times of India. India and China held the eighth round of discussion to defuse seven-month-long tension in the border region.

“In the overall security calculus, a full-scale conflict with China is low on probability. However, border confrontations, transgressions and unprovoked tactical military actions spiralling into a larger conflict cannot be discounted,” Gen Rawat was quoted by the national daily while he was speaking at a webinar in the national capital.

The top military officer of the country stressed that India will not allow “any shifting” of the LAC by China, which he said is now facing “unanticipated consequences of its misadventure” due to the firm and strong response by the Indian forces in eastern Ladakh, the daily reported.