On Friday, PrimeMinister Narendra Modi surprised everyone when he landed up at Kushok BakulaRimpochee airport at Leh to be briefed about operational preparedness of theIndian military against the aggressive Chinese People’s Liberation Army.

Accompanied by Chiefof Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane,Modi’s first stop was the XIV Corps headquarters at Nimu outside Leh to ; hewas briefed by Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh in the presence ofNorthern Army Commander Lt Gen Y K Joshi.

The decision of PMModi to go to Leh was kept under wraps till he landed at the airport with theentire coordination done by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Rawat andNaravane.

NSA Doval, who cameout of self-imposed isolation after two weeks, chose to remain in Delhi.

Experts said thepresence of PM Modi in the Ladakh region has not only sent a signal to Chinathat India means business and will not surrender even an inch of its territorybut also reassured the local population.Indian Army and Chinese PLA are facingoff at four points on the LAC in East Ladakh with the latter consolidating onground while mouthing peace overtures.

It is understoodthat Prime Minister Modi gave a message to the Ladakh commanders that theyshould not initiate any escalation from their side but should definitelyretaliate to any aggression.

The same message wasalso given out during the 2017 Doklam crisis.