LAC demarcation step to resolving India-China border dispute: Army chief

Demarcation of the Line of Actual Control between India and China - of which the two have varied perception in some areas - is a first step towards resolution of the border dispute, Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh said Tuesday.

Addressing the annual press conference ahead of Army Day (Jan 15), Gen Singh said the two countries patrol according to their perception of LAC leading to the possibility of transgression and face-offs in some areas.

Asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed to the Chinese leadership about demarcating the LAC, he said such a move will definitely help in resolving the border problem between the two countries.

He said the prime minister giving the suggestion was "itself a reflection (that) this is the first step towards resolution of the border dispute".

"No doubt, unless LAC gets demarcated, there cannot be further progress in resolving the (question of) boundary," he said.

Gen Singh said that if the LAC gets demarcated, there would be no possibility of face-offs and transgressions.

"(Demarcation) is definitely going to help resolving the problem," he said.

Answering a query on the new mountain strike corps, the army chief said the formation will enhance the army's capabilities.