India China standoff: RKS Bhadauria visits eastern air bases, General Naravane in Ladakh

After the Indian Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria visited premier air bases in the Eastern sector on Wednesday to review the level of operational preparedness and capability enhancement, Chief of Army Staff (CAOS) General Manoj Mukund Naravane arrived in Ladakh on Thursday morning to review the ongoing security situation along the LAC.

During his visit to the airbases in the Eastern sector, the Air Force Chief interacted with air warriors serving at these bases.

Meanwhile, COAS General Naravane who is on a two-day visit to Ladakh will be briefed by senior field commanders on the ground situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Army Chief will also review the operational preparedness of the troops who are locked in a standoff with Chinese troops for over three months now.

The visits of Air Force Chief Bhadauria and Army Chief General Naravane comes at a time when Indian troops have thwarted the Chinese Army's attempts to transgress into areas in Ladakh. Brigadier level talks were also held between the two sides at Chushul to diffuse tensions over the fresh flare-up on Thursday.

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China's fresh aggression at LAC

The Indian Army thwarted an attempt by the Chinese Army to transgress into Indian areas near the southern bank of Pangong Tso near Chushul in Ladakh, on the intervening night of August 29-30, the Defence Ministry said in a statement. The Indian security forces foiled an attempt by the Chinese Army to transgress into the Indian side of the LAC in the general area of Chumar in Eastern Ladakh, the statement further said.

The two countries are engaged in a standoff since April-May over the transgressions by the Chinese Army in multiple areas, including Galwan valley, Finger area, Hot springs, and Kongrung Nala. The situation worsened after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops in Galwan valley in June.

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Centre Bans additional 118 Chinese apps

Furthermore, the Central Government on Wednesday banned an additional 118 Chinese apps in view of the fresh border standoff with China in Ladakh between the Armies of two South Asian powers. The latest app ban included the much-used gaming app PUBG among others. Earlier on June 29, the government had banned 59 Chinese apps, including popular apps such as TikTok, UC Browser, WeChat and Bigo Live. The Centre maintained that the Chinese apps were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity, and security of the country. 

The ban came in the light of the standoff with Chinese troops in the Galwan valley in Eastern Ladakh. The government then banned 47 more Chinese apps that were the clones and variants of the ones banned earlier, followed by the latest ban of 118 apps.

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(With ANI Inputs)