Rajnath Singh to visit Rezang La memorial in Ladakh on Nov 18

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Leh and Ladakh on November 17-18 during which he will pay homage to martyrs at Rezang La War Memorial, according to sources in the Defence Ministry.

“Raksha Mantri will visit Rezang La memorial on November 18 after landing at Leh a day earlier. Detailed programmes are still being worked out,” a ministry source said.

Sources said Singh is likely to have a meeting with officials of the armed forces at Leh to take stock of the bordersituation. During his visit to the Rezang La memorial, he is also likely to have an interaction with troops.

The Army recently renovated the memorial where names of soldiers who died in the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash with the Chinese PLA have also been added. Singh has been invited by the Army to inaugurate the renovated memorial.

The memorial was first raised at Chushul in Ladakh in memory of soldiers who died in the battle of Rezang La during the 1962 war. In this battle, a company of 13 Kumaon battalion fought to the last man to block PLA from crossing the ridge into Chushul Valley.

In the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh, Rezang La again became a flashpoint when in August-September last year Indian troops took over key heights overlooking Chinese military posts. The preemptive action forced China to come to the negotiating table and disengagement of troops was achieved on both banks of Pangong Tso this year.

Singh’s visit assumes significance as China recently appeared to have toughened its stance on border negotiations. The last Corps Commander level meeting between the two sides could not make any progress on disengagement of troops.