Transgressions from across the Line of Actual Control (Sino-Indian border) “have become a part of life” and cause “discomfort” to India but the LAC is among India’s most peaceful borders, minister of state for defence M.M. Pallam Raju has said. He added that India was building its deterrence capabilities and infrastructure adequately in order to ensure that no adversary “crosses the threshold”.
Speaking to this newspaper recently in an exclusive interview, Mr Raju said, “There is a difference in perception on the LAC (between India and China) and transgressions have become a part of life. But the LAC has been among the most peaceful borders we have ever had.”
Elaborating on the situation, Mr Raju further said, “China’s tendency to assert what they believe is theirs does have its peak sometimes when the transgressions increase but it does not mean that there is a conflict there or a face-off there. This frequency increases periodically. ... We can’t say transgressions are not happening. I want to say that although there could be an increase in transgressions periodically, there is no conflict or no confrontation.”
Mr Raju then added, “From that point of view, the discomfort continues and at the same time we are committed towards resolving this issue.”
When asked what India was doing to prevent a 1962-type situation, the minister of state for defence said, “The most important thing is to protect what is rightfully ours. We have to have deterrence capabilities. We are building on capabilities and infrastructure. When deterrence capabilities are there, will an adversary not cross the threshold.”
Interestingly, India and China are scheduled to hold joint military exercises sometime this year but India froze all defence exchanges with China last year following China’s refusal to permit the then (Indian Army) Northern Command chief Lt. Gen. B.S. Jaswal to visit China.
Given the disaster of 1962, India is also focusing on its military preparedness in the eastern sector.
Army chief Gen. V.K. Singh had stated a fortnight ago that the Army was planning a re-structuring and transformation that included “offensive capabilities in mountain areas”.
It is also well-known that India is raising two new mountain divisions in the eastern sector to bolster its security vis-a-vis China as well as considering establishment of a mountain strike corps in the eastern sector.
The Army chief had also earlier said that the Indian patrols go up to the Indian line of perception of the LAC and the Chinese patrols go upto the Chinese line of perception of the LAC.