Will Give Nice and Proper Response to Any Mischief in Doklam, Says Eastern Command Chief

Kolkata: The Army is totally geared up to face any situation in the Doklam sector and any mischief will be dealt with "properly", General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command Lt. Gen. Abhay Krishna said on Saturday.

He was asked about China reportedly stationing its troops in Doklam, where the two countries were locked in a standoff for over two months earlier this year after the Chinese army tried to build a road in the area claimed by Indian’s ally Bhutan.

India feared the road, if completed, would allow China to cut off its access to its northeastern states. The standoff ended in September after the two countries mutually agreed to withdraw their troops from the area.

Stating that he would not name anyone specifically, Lt. Gen. Krishna said the Indian Army is in high spirits and ready to take on any "mischief".

"We are totally prepared, geared up; let anybody do any mischief and he will get it back nice and proper," he told reporters here.

Lt. Gen. Krishna was speaking at the Eastern Command headquarter at Fort William here after a wreath-laying ceremony on 'Vijay Diwas' to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in 1971, which led to the liberation of Bangladesh.

The road building effort by China and presence of its troops at the tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan had led to an eyeball-to-eyeball face-off between New Delhi and Beijing for 73 days from June 16.

Reports have said that China still has troops stationed a few hundred metres from the tri-junction in Dokalam sector.

Asked if the reports were verified, Lt Gen Krishna said a lot has been stated about them and he has nothing more to add.

"The Indian Army is always in very high spirits, we are always ready to take on any mischief by anybody. I am not going to name anybody specifically.

"Territorial integrity is ingrained in our blood and for that we will go to any extent to ensure the territorial integrity," he said.

Asked if India was prepared for a two-front war, Lt Gen Krishna said the country was "undoubtedly" ready for any eventuality.