PLA disrupting border peace: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday pointed to Chinese actions as the reason peace and stability have not been fully restored along the India-China frontier. It noted that tensions periodically arise in the border regions whenever People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops depart from long-standing patrolling arrangements.

The statement was issued in response to recent comments by Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor. Kapoor had highlighted that the force’s newly formed Shaurya commando unit had displayed its operational effectiveness amid ongoing confrontations with PLA personnel at several points in Arunachal Pradesh.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal observed that, as has been recorded previously, conditions along the India-China border become unsettled from time to time precisely when Chinese units stray from established patrolling norms. He added that the two countries continue to rely on existing diplomatic and military channels to settle pending matters and to prevent miscalculations or misunderstandings along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Jaiswal reiterated that preserving calm and order in the border areas remains fundamental to the broader progress of India-China relations. He also noted that both sides have agreed to explore measures that would enhance mutual understanding of the LAC in relevant sectors, thereby supporting more effective border management.

A day earlier, Kapoor had stated that Shaurya commandos are set to be assigned to every border battalion as the ITBP bolsters its preparedness along the approximately 3,488-kilometre LAC with China. His remarks formed part of the force’s ongoing modernisation efforts, which place greater emphasis on advanced warfare technologies and specialised training programmes.

Speaking to personnel at an ITBP installation in Alwar, Rajasthan, ahead of the organisation’s 65th Raising Day on 24 October, Kapoor said conventional approaches to conflict are no longer adequate when dealing with China, which he characterised as India’s principal strategic rival.