Indian army chief’s remarks on LAC seen as attempt to mask Ladakh failures
Islamabad: Analysts and observers have criticized Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi’s recent comments on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), labeling them an attempt to obscure New Delhi’s strategic failures in the Ladakh region of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
According to Kashmir Media Service, speaking at his annual media briefing in New Delhi, General Dwivedi described the India-China border as “sensitive but stable,” emphasizing the need for continued troop deployments along the LAC. However, his remarks have been widely interpreted as an effort to deflect attention from India’s inability to counter China’s advances since the border standoff began in 2020.
The standoff in Ladakh, which has witnessed China securing significant territorial gains, has highlighted glaring weaknesses in India’s defense and diplomatic policies. Analysts contend that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has prioritized the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Hindutva-driven agenda over the country’s security.
“Calling the border situation ‘sensitive but stable’ is a convenient smokescreen,” noted one expert. “It disguises India’s humiliating setbacks in Ladakh and underscores Modi’s failure to confront China.”
The Indian army chief’s statement has also fueled concerns about India’s growing isolation in South Asia. Observers argue that Modi’s radical domestic policies, rooted in Hindutva extremism, have alienated neighboring countries. The BJP’s divisive rhetoric, they say, has undermined trust both internationally and within India itself.
While the Indian military has bolstered its troop presence along the LAC, critics assert that this buildup does little to address the underlying issue of lost territory. Instead, it serves as a distraction from the Modi government’s diplomatic failures and the enduring consequences of its ideological focus.
The Ladakh standoff has become emblematic of the broader failures of Modi’s leadership. Experts argue that misleading narratives from the Indian Army, coupled with the BJP’s polarizing agenda, have destabilized regional peace and weakened India’s standing on the global stage.
