Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accompanied by the Army chief, embarked a three-day visit to Ladakh from Sunday to carry out a comprehensive review of India’s operational readiness amid a stalemate with China on the next stage of disengagement at several friction points in eastern Ladakh, official sources said.
Singh’s visit with Army Chief Gen MM Naravane comes two days after India and China held a fresh round of diplomatic talks to resolve the prolonged military standoff that began in early May last year.
“Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will be visiting Ladakh tomorrow for three days. During his Ladakh visit he will inaugurate infra projects constructed by BRO and also interact with troops deployed in the region,” Singh’s office tweeted ahead of his visit.
Sources said the defence minister will visit various key formations and high-altitude bases in eastern Ladakh to assess the ground situation as well as to boost the morale of the troops guarding the Line of Actual Control in a hostile environment.
The defence minister will be given a detailed briefing about the overall situation in eastern Ladakh at the Leh-based headquarters of the 14 Corps of the Army which is tasked to guard the LAC in the Ladakh sector, sources said.
It will be Singh’s first visit to eastern Ladakh after the Indian and Chinese militaries pulled back troops, tanks, infantry and other equipment from the Pangong lake areas in February as part of an agreement.
