The armed forces deployed along the 3,500-km de-facto border with China have been given "full freedom" to give a "befitting" response to any Chinese misadventure, government sources said. Following the Galwan incident, military sources said Indian troops will no longer be bound by the long-held practice of not using firearms in face-offs. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the situation in eastern Ladakh at a meeting with the top military brass on Sunday. The meeting was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.

India has already mobilised fighter jets and sent thousands of additional Army troops to forward locations along the border with China after 20 Indian Army personnel were killed in a brutal attack by Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley on June 15.