Amid the border standoff with China, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat visited forward air bases in Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday and interacted with soldiers of the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Special Frontier Force.

He also visited forwardmost air maintained posts in Dibang Valley and Lohit sector of Arunachal Pradesh. General Rawat has completed one year as Chief of Defence Staff.

Complimenting the soldiers for the innovative measures adopted to maintain effective surveillance and enhanced operational readiness, he said that only Indian soldiers could remain vigilant under such challenging situations and they are ever willing to go well beyond the call of duty to safeguard the borders. "Nothing can deter the Indian armed forces on remaining steadfast in their call for duty," he said.

On the current standoff with China, last year General Rawat had reiterated that India has military options to deal with the Chinese on the issue of transgressions if talks between both countries at the military and diplomatic level do not yield results.

India and China are engaged in a standoff since April-May over the transgressions by the Chinese PLA in multiple areas in eastern Ladakh, which resulted in clashes in the Galwan Valley and other areas.

It was on January 1, 2020 when General Rawat was appointed the country's first Chief of Defence Staff. In 2019 end, the government had approved the creation of the post of CDS who also functions as the Principal Military Adviser to the Union Defence Minister and also as the Permanent Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC). It was back then decided that the CDS will head the new Department of Military Affairs in the Defence Ministry and function as a Secretary to the government.

<em>(IANS)</em>.