Prime Minister was spending Diwali with soldiers at Longewala post in Rajasthan
Jaisalmer:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a subtle but significant blow to China, attacked the “expansionist” forces which show a “warped mindset that belongs to the 18th century”. The prime minister warned these forces against taking advantage of India’s tolerance and said the country’s soldiers would give a “jawab prachand (fierce response) “if the borders were threatened.
“India believes in a policy of understanding and making others understand … but if an attempt to test our resolution is made, then the country will give a fierce response,” the prime minister said on Saturday, passing Diwali with soldiers at the strategic key. Longewala post in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
“No force in the world can prevent our soldiers from protecting our borders. India has shown that it has the strength and the political will to give a dignified response to those who challenge it. The world now knows that India will not compromise its interests at all. ,” he added.
Today’s warning is not Prime Minister Modi’s first.
Last week, while addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), he called on members (including China and Pakistan) to “respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” .
In July, during a surprise visit to an outpost in Ladakh – days after the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley – the prime minister, without naming China, said: “The era of Expansionism is over … History has witnessed that expansionist forces either lost or were forced to turn around. “
He also pointed out that India will not stop building roads and bridges in the border area, which is believed to have been the cause of China’s aggression.
On this occasion, China responded by calling the comment “baseless and exaggerated”.
The comments come in a protracted clash with China on the Ladakh border, where soldiers were locked in a confrontation at the LAC (Line of Real Control, the de facto border between the two countries) as skirmishes were reported in the Pangong Lake area in May.
Tensions peaked after the violence in June, in which an unknown number of Chinese soldiers were also killed. In September, “warning shots” were fired as the two armies came face to face in Pangong Tso.
There have been several rounds of military and diplomatic talks since – the eighth took place last week – but the Chinese have refused to adhere to the agreements on restoring the status quo.
Indian Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat said last week that a “larger conflict” could not be ruled out if military actions not provoked by the Chinese continued.
PM Modi’s comment on “expansionist” forces and warning to those who threaten the country’s territorial integrity also comes a day after 11 people, including five soldiers, were killed in ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in several areas of northern J&K.
The Prime Minister also recalled the Battle of Longewala – an engagement during the 1971 war with Pakistan in which a small contingent of Indian soldiers repelled an attack by a much larger Pakistani infantry force backed by tanks – and paid homage to heroic soldiers.
Last year, the Prime Minister visited the Rajouri district of J&K to celebrate Diwali with soldiers guarding the Line of Control (LoC). In 2017, he visited soldiers posted in the Gurez sector in northern Kashmir.
With the contribution of PTI
