The situation along the eastern along India-China border in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh is stable but remains unpredictable because of the absence of delineation of borders, GOC-in-C, Eastern Command, Lt Gen RP Kalita said on Friday.
The Eastern Command takes care of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim sectors.
“There are different perceptions about LAC which leads to friction. However, the situation in both Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh is stable now but unpredictable because of the absence of delineation of borders,” the Eastern Army Commander said.
“India is continuously monitoring the activities across the border and we are prepared to beat any emerging challenges,” he added.
Vibrant Villages Programme
Referring to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s 2022 budget speech in which she mentioned the Vibrant Villages Programme, Gen Kalita said that post-Dokalam, the Chinese began developing infrastructure along the border and India too is working on infrastructure development.
China’s attempt to build a road in the Doklam plateau in 2017 resulted in a significant India-China standoff, triggering tensions between the two neighbours.
“In the budget speech, Vibrant Village Programme was declared that it is being built along the border,” he said. Mentioning Kaho and other places, he said, “we have identified 130 villages and the process is on.”
The Centre announced the Vibrant Village scheme against the backdrop of China’s setting up of “model villages” close to the LAC.
The GOC-in-C also mentioned Indian Army’s focus on the east and the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken’s Neck.
Sources said all focus is on the northeast since the internal situation is better and normalcy has returned now due to the removal of AFSPA. The development of villages will help India from a strategic point of view, they said.
Gen Kalita also spoke about the approval of the frontier highway and the importance of lateral connectivity. “Arunachal Pradesh comprises of river valleys, and any lateral movement is difficult. There has been a lot of effort in the construction of roads. We have also realised the importance of lateral connectivity. The frontier highway is approved, and the work is in progress.”
China’s Military Presence
Gen Kalita’s remark is similar to Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande’s statement on January 12, in which he stated the situation along the frontier with China is “stable” but “unpredictable”, and Indian troops are adequately deployed to deal with any contingencies.
The statement came amid growing concerns regarding China’s exceeding military presence. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed the parliament in December last year that the Chinese PLA’s attempted to unilaterally change the status in the Yangtse area of Arunachal Pradesh, resulting in minor injuries to some soldiers on both sides.
India and China have been locked in a border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over 31 months. The bilateral relationship came under severe strain following the deadly clash in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June 2020.
Senior Colonel Long Shaohua, the spokesman of the Western Theatre Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), said the clash on December 9 took place when its troops on regular patrol on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) were blocked by Indian soldiers. However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the two sides had maintained smooth communication on border-related issues through diplomatic and military channels.
In an op-ed article in a US-based magazine earlier this month, New Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang stated that both sides are willing to ease the situation and jointly protect peace along their borders. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi responded to the remark and said peace and tranquillity along the LAC are essential for the overall development of India’s bilateral relationship with China.
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping held a video conversation with the soldiers stationed along the India-China border in eastern Ladakh and inspected their combat readiness last week.
Following the visit, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande reviewed India’s military preparedness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh. On Saturday, Gen Manoj Pande reviewed the Army’s military preparedness along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim during his visit to the headquarters of the eastern Army command in Kolkata.
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