India - China Border Issue: Govt gives Free Hand to Indian Army, tells 'To use Weapon'!

On Sunday, India redrafted the rules of engagement with the Chinese troops along the borders which stretches 3,488 Km long. The Indian Army has been given complete freedom to act against the Chinese troops, if provoked.

“The commanders at LAC (Line of Actual Control) can now give troops complete freedom of action to handle situations at the tactical level,” a source said. The Defence minister Rajnath Singh approved this new tactical approach as well.

Experts have revealed that this new tactical approach means that the Indian soldiers are being set free from the letter of the 1996 agreement that barred the two sides from quarrelling or using firearms.

Commenting on this approach, former Army chief General V.P. Malik said, “I am glad the rules of engagement have been changed. They needed to be changed given the way China has been acting in the past few years. This will allow the troops to fire in self-defence if necessary."

“Even though the commanders on the ground had the liberty to take action as per their professional judgement earlier, the government’s statement on empowering the troops on ground has given further boost to their morale,” added a member of the National Security Advisory Board.