The recent incidents of face-off between the troops of India and China in Eastern Ladakh and North Sikkim last week were neither “co-related” nor have have any connection with other global or local activities, Army Chief Gen Manoj Naravane said in a statement on Thursday.

“Indian border troops have always been upholding peace and tranquillity along the border areas. I can say with confidence that development of infrastructure capabilities along our northern borders is on track,” he said. “It is reiterated that both these incidents are neither co-related nor do they have any connection with other global or local activities.”

Aggressive behaviour by both sides during the two incidents resulted in minor injuries to troops, after which both sides disengaged after dialogue and interaction at the local level. “Temporary and short duration face-offs between border guarding troops do occur along the Line of Actual Control [LAC] due to the differing perceptions of the alignment of boundaries which are not resolved,” he said.

All such incidents were managed by established mechanisms wherein local formations from both sides “resolve issues mutually” as per established protocols and the “strategic guidelines” given by the Prime Minister after the Wuhan and Mamallapuram summits, he pointed out.

“Our force posture will not suffer due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Gen Naravane noted. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was working even during the pandemic to connect far-flung areas to connect civilians in in those locations.