Defence Minister to inaugurate revamped war memorial in eastern Ladakh

PTI, Nov 17, 2021, 2:58 PM IST

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate on Thursday a revamped war memorial in eastern Ladakh’s Rezang La, the site of an epic battle where Indian troops valiantly fought the Chinese military in 1962.

The memorial is dedicated to the brave Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in the Battle of Rezang La.

Official sources said after inaugurating the memorial, the defence minister will also carry out a review of the security situation with top Army commanders in the backdrop of the lingering border row with China along the Line of Actual Control in the region.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat is also set to accompany the defence minister during his Ladakh visit.

Army Chief Gen MM Naravane will not be able to attend the event at Rezang La as he is on a five-day visit to Israel.

The Indian Army had occupied a number of mountain peaks in Rezang La region in August last year following China’s aggressive posturing and failed attempt to intimidate Indian troops.

The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

The tension escalated following a deadly clash in Galwan Valley on June 15 last year.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in February and in the Gogra area in August.

The last round of military talks on October 10 ended in a stalemate following which both sides blamed each other for the impasse.

In a strong statement after the 13th round of talks, the Indian Army said the ”constructive suggestions” made by it at the negotiations were neither agreeable to the Chinese side nor could Beijing provide any ”forward-looking” proposals.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.