Army chief General M.M. Naravane on Saturday said the Indian Army would not allow any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo along the country’s borders to succeed.

Speaking at the Army Day parade in Delhi, Gen. Naravane said last year was extremely challenging for the army and cited the developments on the northern borders with China.

“Our message is clear. The Indian Army won’t let any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo along the country’s borders to succeed,” he said.

The 14th round of military talks between India and China on Wednesday had failed to achieve any breakthrough as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) refused to disengage from multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh where it is estimated to have taken over close to 1,000sqkm of India-claimed territory.

Gen. Naravane said on the basis of mutual and equal security, efforts would continue to find a solution to the current situation in Ladakh. He said joint efforts at various levels led to disengagement in many areas in Ladakh.

The Chinese have retreated partially in the Galwan Valley, Gogra and the Pangong Lake after creation of buffer zones while remaining well within India-claimed lines. The standoffs continue at Hot Springs and the strategically crucial Depsang Plains where the PLA is said to have entrenched 18km inside India-claimed lines.

The army chief said the situation on the LoC with Pakistan was better than the previous year but Islamabad was still harbouring terrorists.

Nearly 300-400 terrorists in training camps across the border are waiting to intrude into India, he said.

Army Day is observed on January 15 every year to mark Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa taking over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.