India / Defence Minister Rajnath inspects machine gun during Ladakh visit

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on a day-long visit to Ladakh on Friday, 17 July, said that no force in the world can take away land from India, asserting that India is not a weak country.

"Talks are underway to resolve the border dispute, but to what extent it can be resolved, I cannot guarantee. I can assure you, not one inch of our land can be taken by any power in the world. If a solution can be found by talks, there is nothing better," the defence minister was quoted as saying by news agency ANI, as he expressed condolences and paid tributes to the Indian Army personnel who lost their lives in the Galwan Valley clash.

Singh arrived in Leh early on Friday, accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane. He interacted with personnel of the Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in Lukung and is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Singh’s visit comes after the fourth round of talks between India and China on Tuesday, 14 July, amid reports of disengagement between the two countries at at least three flashpoints in Ladakh, including the Galwan Valley.

Both India and China are keen on “complete disengagement,” said the army in a statement, a day after the talks.

“India and China remain committed to the objective of complete disengagement. This process is intricate and requires constant verification. They are taking it forward through regular meetings at diplomatic and military level.”

Earlier, on 3 July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had paid a surprise visit to Ladakh, where he met the soldiers who were injured in the Galwan Valley clash and paid tributes to those who were killed in the deadly brawl.