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India wary as China steps over the thin red line

India wary as China steps over the thin red line

Author: Rahul Datta, in Indraprasth
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: February 12, 2001

The army has expressed serious concern over Chinese intrusions in the no man's land and de-militarised zone in the Ladakh sector and construction of all-weather roads there.
 
The Army has sought directions from the government and wants tighter border management to meet any exigency.

The Government, in a 'top priority' communiqué by the Army earlier this week, was apprised of the latest developments in the Ladakh sector and aggressive patrolling by the Chinese Army there, sources said here on Friday.

The Chinese have intruded into the Indian territory and the no-man's land beginning 1999. The intrusions continued on specific points in the western sector (Ladakh) of the Line of Actual Control till late 2000. In fact, the Chinese have also built all-weather roads and tracks thereby putting the Indian defences at a disadvantage, sources said.

The Chinese Army has reached the 1960 Claim Line at most points in the Ladakh sector. This means the Chinese have intruded for at least 20 kilometres into the de- militarised zone. This zone was earmarked after the 1962 Indo-China war. Both the sides had agreed to pull back their troops by 20 kilometres on each side from the LAC. The Chinese, however, have crossed the de-militarised zone and are back to the positions held by them till 1960, sources said.

India and China share 5,046 kilometre long LAC in western (Ladakh), middle (Himachal Pradesh and Uttranchal) and eastern (Arunachal Pradesh) sectors. The Ladakh sector stretches for 1,570 kilometres, sources said.

The Army has asked the Government to change the Union War Manual to enable the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to man the LAC more effectively.

The ITBP is the first line of defence in the Ladakh sector. While its platoons are stationed on the field, the headquarters are far away thereby hampering quick decision making at the operational level, the 'top- priority' note said.

The proposed change in the Union War Manual will place the ITBP under the operational control of the Army in war and peace times. At present, Intelligence Co-ordination process between the ITBP and the Army located near each other in the Ladakh sector is not functioning optimally.

The intelligence inputs of the ITBP are first vetted at its headquarters and then passed on to the Army, thereby losing vital time to check the aggressive Chinese patrolling, sources said.

This lack of cohesiveness also hits the Rapid Reaction Force Co-ordination as the decision making eats up valuable time. The Union War Manual, at present, allows the Army to assume operational command of the ITBP only in case of a full-fledged war. The ITBP, in peace time, reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs, sources said.

The Chinese have also built a functional infrastructure and communication network in the Eastern Sector right upto the LAC. The nearest Indian roadbed in Arunachal Pradesh, on the other hand, at most places is at least 40 kilometres short of the LAC. The troops have to be either heli-dropped or walk to their posts in inclement weather causing huge logistics problems, sources said. Union Defence Minister George Fernandes had reviewed the Eastern Sector late last year.
 


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