NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — Amid simmering border conflict with China, Indian defense minister Nirmala Sitharaman has embarked on a two-day tour to the Himalayan state of Kashmir to review the war preparedness of the armed forces and security in the hinterlands. Sitharaman has reached Srinagar; from where she will go to forward posts along Line of Control (de facto border) in north Kashmir and Line of Actual Control (LAC) neighboring China in Ladakh region.
Last month on India's Independence Day, Chinese & Indian forces engaged in a brief skirmish wherein the two armies pelted stones at each other when Indian forces guarding the border tried to stop personnel of China's People's Liberation Army from allegedly trying to enter the Indian territory.
Smt @nsitharaman interacts with troops at one of the forward posts in Kashmir pic.twitter.com/oE5nj1Qdqd
— Raksha Mantri (@DefenceMinIndia) 29 сентября 2017 г.
During her two-day tour, Sitharaman will also meet with soldiers at the world's highest battlefield Siachen situated at an altitude of 5,400 meters.
"Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat is likely to accompany the Defense Minister during her J&K visit," sources told Sputnik.
Newly appointed defense minister Sitharaman is visiting Jammu & Kashmir for the first time after assuming office earlier this month. Her visit holds importance as the Narendra Modi government has declared an all-out war against militancy and terrorists in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army has successfully eliminated at least 160 terrorists in the area since the beginning of this year.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reaches Srinagar, received by Northern Army Commander and the Chinar Corps Commander at the Old Airfield pic.twitter.com/RpvTuNl0qo
— ANI (@ANI) 29 сентября 2017 г.
Sitharaman will also take stock of availability of arms & ammunition and any supply constraint in the region. The Minister in her first defense acquisition council meeting which was held on September 27 had announced that the procurement of arms and ammunition would be meticulously monitored and brought to maturity within stipulated timelines.
Sitharaman's visit to the state comes just a few days after her colleague in the Narendra Modi government Jitender Singh said there was a need to "change the discourse" around Jammu and Kashmir. "There is need to change the discourse (on J&K) for future generations. We have to change the agenda. There is no such issue as Kashmir issue. It is as much a part of India as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar or any other state," he Singh had told the Press Trust of India.
