SOURCE: DAILY PIONEER
Two incidents of Chinese transgression in the last fortnight in Ladakh and a face-off with the Indian Army have sparked tension along Line of Actual Control (LAC), forcing Army chief General Bikram Singh to visit the areas on Saturday to review the situation.
The latest Chinese intrusions took place in Chushul and Tangste in eastern Ladakh. The Chinese troops had come in about 800 metres and returned only after the Army cautioned them that they had entered the Indian territory.
Nearly 100 transgressions in Ladakh including the latest two have been reported so far this year. The figure was 228 in 2010 and 213 in 2011, including two Chinese helicopters entering the Indian airspace in Ladakh sector last year.
The continuing transgressions led the Army chief, whos on a scheduled three-day visit to Ladakh, to undertake an unscheduled tour of these areas. He also visited some other areas along the LAC facing China in Ladakh sector to inspect operational preparedness and pace of development of infrastructure.
Sources said the latest incidents of transgressions by China have been brought to the notice of the Defence Ministry and the issue is likely to be taken up with Beijing.
The intrusion by China takes place all along the 5,000-km-long LAC stretching from Ladakh to Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and to Arunachal Pradesh.
Most of the transgressions take place in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh where India and China share a disputed border of more than 4,000 km.
Sources said the Indian Army also enters the Chinese territory. However, such incidents are very few in comparison to the aggressive approach by China as its troops manage to defy all diplomatic norms and treaties and intrude into the Indian territory and make their presence felt intentionally by leaving behind tell tale signs like empty cigarette cartons of Chinese make and writings in Chinese on rocks, officials said. Moreover, China, of late, shifted its stand on the disputed border by stating that the bone of contention is only 2,000-odd km in Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal and not Ladakh.
Sources said it implied China has backed Islamabad that ****************** Kashmir (***) is part of Pakistan though India argued that the 2,000-km long border with China in Ladakh was also disputed including ***.
Keeping these factors in view, officials said the Army chief will now visit Arunachal Pradesh in the next few days. China has a far superior infrastructure including roads and airbases across the LAC in Ladakh and Arunachal. Giving examples, they said China has built all-weather roads all along the LAC thereby ensuring year-round logistical supply to the troops. Moreover, it has connected Tibet with mainland China though train network of more than 10,000 km thereby posing a serious threat to Indian strategic interests.
link: Chinese transgression stirs row | idrw.org
Two incidents of Chinese transgression in the last fortnight in Ladakh and a face-off with the Indian Army have sparked tension along Line of Actual Control (LAC), forcing Army chief General Bikram Singh to visit the areas on Saturday to review the situation.
The latest Chinese intrusions took place in Chushul and Tangste in eastern Ladakh. The Chinese troops had come in about 800 metres and returned only after the Army cautioned them that they had entered the Indian territory.
Nearly 100 transgressions in Ladakh including the latest two have been reported so far this year. The figure was 228 in 2010 and 213 in 2011, including two Chinese helicopters entering the Indian airspace in Ladakh sector last year.
The continuing transgressions led the Army chief, whos on a scheduled three-day visit to Ladakh, to undertake an unscheduled tour of these areas. He also visited some other areas along the LAC facing China in Ladakh sector to inspect operational preparedness and pace of development of infrastructure.
Sources said the latest incidents of transgressions by China have been brought to the notice of the Defence Ministry and the issue is likely to be taken up with Beijing.
The intrusion by China takes place all along the 5,000-km-long LAC stretching from Ladakh to Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and to Arunachal Pradesh.
Most of the transgressions take place in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh where India and China share a disputed border of more than 4,000 km.
Sources said the Indian Army also enters the Chinese territory. However, such incidents are very few in comparison to the aggressive approach by China as its troops manage to defy all diplomatic norms and treaties and intrude into the Indian territory and make their presence felt intentionally by leaving behind tell tale signs like empty cigarette cartons of Chinese make and writings in Chinese on rocks, officials said. Moreover, China, of late, shifted its stand on the disputed border by stating that the bone of contention is only 2,000-odd km in Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal and not Ladakh.
Sources said it implied China has backed Islamabad that ****************** Kashmir (***) is part of Pakistan though India argued that the 2,000-km long border with China in Ladakh was also disputed including ***.
Keeping these factors in view, officials said the Army chief will now visit Arunachal Pradesh in the next few days. China has a far superior infrastructure including roads and airbases across the LAC in Ladakh and Arunachal. Giving examples, they said China has built all-weather roads all along the LAC thereby ensuring year-round logistical supply to the troops. Moreover, it has connected Tibet with mainland China though train network of more than 10,000 km thereby posing a serious threat to Indian strategic interests.
link: Chinese transgression stirs row | idrw.org
