NEWDELHI: Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Saturday said that today the country’s armed forces are better prepared than before to meet any challenges and they will continue to train themselves for future warfare.’
“Indian Army is prepared to deal with challenges along the northern border. Men behind the machine matter the most. We will make sure that our men get the best and we will look into all their aspirations, needs,” General MM Naravane said at a press conference in the national capital.
During his press briefing, General Narvane stressed that ”as the Army, we swear allegiance to the Constitution of India…Justice, liberty, equality and fraternity enshrined in the Constitution should guide us.”
He also touched upon various issues concerning the Indian Army and said, ”There is a shortage of officers but it is not because there is lack of people applying for it. We have not lowered the standards for selection of officers in the force.”
He said this while replying to a question on the shortage of officers in the force.
The Army Chief also hailed the Centre’s move to create the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as a ”very big step towards the integration among the three services.”
”The formation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and creation of Department of Military Affairs is a very big step towards integration and we, on our part, will make sure that this is a success,” the Army Chief said.
On induction of female soldiers in the Indian Army, gen Narvane said, ”From January 6, the training of the first batch of 100 female jawans has started for being inducted into military police.”
While shifting his focus to various complaints against Army officers deployed in Kashmir Valley, General Narvane said, ”The judgement call of the commander on ground has to be respected. All the complaints that have been filed have proved to be unfounded.”
General Naravane said that Siachen is very important to the country where one formation is looking after western and northern fronts. It is strategically important. It is from there where collusion can happen.
Replying to a question on Army’s preparedness in view of shortages cited earlier by the Army Vice-Chief two years ago, he said, ”The Indian Army much better prepared today than before.”
On the recent killing of two unarmed civilians by the Pakistan Army in Poonch sector of J&K, General Narvane said, ”We do not resort to such barbaric activities and fight as a very professional force. We will deal appropriately with such situations in a military manner.”
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