India should not display complacency anymore
The recent incident of Chinese incursion into the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand needs to be observed carefully as this sector of the India-China border, used to be the least controversial of the line of Actual Control (lAC) so far. It is sad that even after taking up all instances of transgression on the lAC by the NDA Government with the Chinese authority, this has happened. It may be a part of China’s policy to create tactical turbulence while keeping the strategic relationship at a balanced level. With the coming of Xi Jinping, China’s mission to go global and protect its territory and sovereignty has taken an unprecedented high. India, therefore, should not display any complacency, looking at the sharp drop of reported incursion from the Chinese side of the border. Xi is relentlessly pursuing his ‘China Dream’ under which he is trying to revive the Maoist values in the guise of national rejuvenation for sure. As a precautionary step, the apprising of the incursion to the Union Government by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat was timely. However, it is the responsibility of his Government to examine the ground realities besides cooperating with the officials of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police who are currently manning the India-China border along Uttarakhand. But for now, the security agencies and the Government of Uttarakhand have stated that there is not much to be alarmed. It is believed that this kind of incursion might be the result of either due to the differences in reading the lAC areas by the Chinese or it is an intentional move to just penetrate into the Indian territory as it was done by the People’s liberation Army (PlA) in the past.
It must be noted by the Government of India that the present attempt of transgression by the PlA in the middle sector of the lAC is a rare incident unlike the most controversial eastern and western part of the same. There was hardly any dispute over the middle sector between the two neighbours and only in 2001, the Joint Working Groups of border settlement had exchanged maps on this part of the lAC. Then why such an incident took placeIJ To be precise, none of the sectors were clearly sorted out and there have been repeated instances of transgressions from the PlA. Also, the claim of the Chinese authorities over Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have not been solved till date. Despite maintaining good relations with China since the coming of the NDA Government in power, the latest incident of Chamoli can be rightly called as very unfortunate. India’s blaming of the Chinese role in thwarting the former’s entry into the prestigious Nuclear Supplier’s Group and the recent episode of not renewing visas of three Chinese journalists may have frustrated the Xi regime. With an ever rising middle class clamouring for more liberty and jobs back home, alongside the humiliating verdict meted out to China from the International Tribunal in The Hague on the most disputed South China Sea islands is already bringing more troubles than solutions to the Xi rule. On the backdrop of these cumulating woes in the socialist nation, India must view the Chamoli incursion and take it to the established mechanism through which normally, both the neighbours deliberate on such issues. However, considering our defence preparedness, the Government must see to it that the much-touted plans to build infrastructure along the lAC should not flounder anymore. With continued cooperation, we need better vigil and caution with China.