Strong response needed to LoC firings, Chinese incursions: Ex-Army chief VK Singh

Relations between India and Pakistan soured after five Indian soldiers were killed in an attack along LoC on Aug 6

India should mount a 'strong response' to Pakistani firing across the LoC and increased border incursions by China, former Indian Army chief Gen (retd) V K Singh has said.

'If the message you convey is, 'OK you can do what you want to, but we are not going to react to it,' then (they) will keep doing more things,' Singh told PTI here.

Responding to a question on recent incidents of firing by Pakistani troops across the Line of Control in Kashmir and an increase in border incursions by China, Singh made it clear that India needs to give a 'strong response to such efforts'.

'See, as far as the LoC with Pakistan is concerned, it has its own dynamics, a lot of things happen. But along with it, it is also a question of what kind of messages you convey,' he said.

'Everybody knows that Pakistan is waging a proxy war against us and if the terrorists are not able to infiltrate and they do other things along the LoC, then a much stronger message is required,' said Singh, who is currently on a visit to the US with anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.

'Where China is concerned, China respects strength and strong will. If you try to adopt policies which were adopted in the 1950s then you are going to land in trouble,' he said.

'At the governmental level there has to be a much stronger response. Only then people will realise as to why a thing should be done, or should not be done,' Singh said.

Relations between India and Pakistan soured after five Indian soldiers were killed in an attack along the LoC on August 6. Since then, both sides have accused each other of violating a 2003 truce on the ceasefire line.

India has accused Chinese troops of several violations of the disputed border in Ladakh sector.