The most-sensitive Indo-China border is the only international border with India where not a single bullet has been fired in the past 51 years even after dozens of instances of face-offs between the long range patrols (LRPs) of India and China.
Informing that recent faceoff between the LRPs of India and China in Changlang sector was one of such instances, authoritative security sources in the Union home ministry told this newspaper that it was not only Chinese LRP that stray into Indian territory, there have been instances of Indian LRP comprising the personnel of various security agencies and Indo-Tibet Border Police have strayed into Chinese territory.
Pointing out that such face offs also come up for discussion in bilateral meetings between the two countries, sources said that LRP also collects the telltales as evidence from places where such transgression are reported.
Asserting that a perception has been created in the media that Indian forces are less aggressive in guarding their border with China, security sources said that Indian forces have not only retrieved but also succeeded in restoring Line of Control in many sectors up to areas, which were under the control of India before the Chinese aggression of 1962.
Security sources said that LRP, which is the only means to physically verify any incursion, travels on foot for 15-20 days to reach the Line of Control.
In the process, straying from their respective territory is not as serious as media has been trying to present, security sources argued saying that there have been at least eight such locations on Indo-China borders where such face offs are frequently reported.
Informing that India and China have been following the practice of sending their LRPs in between March and September every year, security sources said that in case of a faceoff, a set procedure of displaying flag that LRP carries, is followed.