TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ The Indian army has changed rules of engagement along the Line of Actual Control with China, empowering field commanders to sanction use of firearms in rare cases, in a departure from the decades-old understanding between the two militaries to not resort to gun power in face-offs.
The announcement came after defence minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the situation in eastern Ladakh at a meeting with the top military brass on Sunday. At the meeting, the defence minister carried out a comprehensive review of the entire security situation in eastern Ladakh and all other sensitive areas along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the sources said.
The meeting was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. In the meeting on, Singh told the top military officers to maintain a strict vigil on Chinese activities around the land border, the airspace and in strategic sea lanes, the sources said.
