CDS Gen Bipin Rawat says armed forces operating beyond mandate to handle COVID-19 crisis

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, General Bipin Rawat, on Sunday said that the armed forces personnel understand their responsibility at this time when India is battling the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak.

"As far as defence services are concerned, we do understand our responsibility that at this time when the nation is fighting against COVID-19 menace, the defence services must operate beyond the mandate and come to the support of our people and government in whatever way we can," General Rawat told news agency ANI.

"In order to do so, we have to first ensure that we remain safe from COVID-19 because if our own sailors, soldiers and airmen get affected by this virus, how are we going to support our people. That is why we have issued very strict directions on social distancing, wearing of masks and ensuring that people who require to be in quarantine remain in quarantine," said the CDS.

He said that the medical directions are being regularly issued by the Director-General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) and that all meetings and conferences are taking place through video conferencing.

"We are attending meetings organised by the Cabinet Secretary and we are attending meetings of the Ministry of Health. Whatever directions are coming, are percolating down to the rank and file and we are ensuring that these reach in the right time and right manner. This is very important for us to maintain strict discipline and patience. There would be problems in these challenging times but we have to learn to live with them. It cannot be business as usual. These are the times when certain directions have been issued and they have to be adhered to if we want to fight the COVID-19 menace. I think our nation has done well. We will continue to do well if the directions issued from time to time are adhered to," he said.

General Rawat, while referring to the lockdown, said this is not the time to be impatient.

"We do know when the country is under lockdown and people are told to stay indoors, they tend to become impatient. This is not the time to be impatient. Patience is very important to ensure that we remain disciplined. Maintaining discipline in armed forces is not very difficult as we are accustomed to being in discipline but to maintain patience is the need of the hour," he said

He further informed, "I am very happy to inform you that all our people have downloaded the Aarogya Setu application and should anyone get affected, we would be able to pick that up very soon. We would be able to ensure that the spread does not happen."

Meanwhile, the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in India crossed the 26,000-mark on Sunday, while the death toll topped the 800-mark.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread like wildfire in India, the central and state governments are respectively amping up all of their efforts to check potential contamination. Sunday marks Day 12 of the extended COVID-19 Lockdown 2.0.