Border incursions during high-profile visits mysterious: IAF chief

The Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Air Marshal Arup Raha said Saturday it was "mysterious" how border incursions take place during high-profile visits.

"It is always mysterious... the way incursions get timed with visits," Raha said responding to a question in the recent incursion by Chinese troops in Ladakh.

"In diplomacy, there is little of signalling done but I am not going to guess. The questions that arises is why the incursion took place when the senior-most leader of their country's hierarchy was here," said Raha, who is also the chairman of Chiefs of Staffs Committee (COSC) told reporters at the annual press conference ahead of Air Force Day Oct 8.

He, however, did not name any leader.

Chinese soldiers intruded into Indian territory in Chumar area of Ladakh last month while President Xi Jinping was here on a three-day visit. The issue was raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Chinese president, and the two sides announced that they would settle the festering boundary issue as soon as possible.

The military stand-off ended earlier this week and both sides have now withdrawn their troops.