INDIA CHINA BORDER CONFLICT GOES ON:

By Vinit Wahi

The stand-off between India and China over the decades long international border dispute along the former’s Himalayan frontiers refuses to subside and rather, has only escalated with passage of time. There are recent reports of China ramping up its defenses by deploying robotic weapons platforms armed with machine guns may only lead to aggravating the tense situation further. The automated units are intended to cover blind spots in China’s perimeter as troops struggle hard to handle not only the altitude, but difficult terrain of the Tibetan region claimed by both countries.

According to news reports, India’s Himalayan neighbour has deployed unmanned ground vehicles or UGVs in that area in a bid to boost up its position along the long border. The reports further say that though the Chinese People’s Liberation Army had acquired these UGVs in 2014 itself but were not put to any use until now.It is reported that at least 400 such robotic weapons platforms have been deployed along the border and the reason behind this large number of deployment seems to be the arid, remote and completely inhospitable terrain of the area. At the same time, it also serves as access for a few commercial routes across the desert.

According to those in the know of things, intelligence reports also suggest the Chinese have built at least ten new air bases along the LAC in Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh and it’s a serious matter considering the recent 16 –month old border dispute in eastern Ladakh. It’s apparent that the Chinese are bolstering their positions while talks are simultaneously underway to resolve the border standoff.

In addition to the mobile sentry guns, the PLA has also deployed the VP-22 Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected Vehicle (MRAP), which provides transportation for troops across difficult terrain. In fact, reports say Beijing has sent 88 sharp claws to Tibet of which 38 are deployed in border regions.

Besides, it has also augmented its forces with 70 VP-22 armoured troop transports, 47 of which are in border zones alone. In addition, another 150 Lynx all-terrain vehicles have also been positioned along the border.

In response to these developments, India maintains it is reviewing its military preparedness along the Chinese frontier by deploying additional troops, artillery, and IFVs to counter the Communist build- up. At present, the Chinese military utilizes two different types of UGVs, the Sharp Claw and the Mule-200. The Sharp Claw can be operated remotely in addition to performing autonomous behaviour. The Mule-200 can perform unmanned deliveries or operate firearms, including mounted.

Sources say as thousands of PLA soldiers are unable to cope with Aksai Chin’s freezing cold and low oxygen and many of them have died because of this, the Dragon had to change not only the area commander thrice but also bring in a new robot army to counter its Indian counterparts.

In fact, the just concluded 14th round of Corps Commander level talks between the two countries failed to yield much except India pressing for an early disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh. While the focus of talks was to carry forward the disengagement process at Hot Springs (patrolling point 15), India also insisted on disengagement as soon as possible in all the remaining friction points including resolution of issues in Depsang Bugle and Demchok. The 13th round of talks held last October had also ended in a stalemate. The joint statement issued by them said they follow the guidelines provided by the state leaders.

This is notwithstanding the fact that the Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Narvane, while underlining that the army would deal with the PLA in a firm manner as it maintains maximum operational preparedness along its northern borders. It would at the same time engage with the PLA through dialogue, and had expressed the hope about the resolution of difficulties at Patrolling Point 15 in this round of talks, he said.

But what has been happening over a period is that while China holds talks with India it does not refrain from carrying out its other operations side by side which render any such negotiations meaningless. Some recent reports said high resolution satellite imagery confirms that China may be constructing at least two large, interconnected villages well within Bhutan’s territory.

And from India’s point of view, it is worrying as these lie even less than 30 km from the Doklam plateau where the two countries had a tense stand-off in 2017 when Indian soldiers blocked Chinese road construction activity. Since then, China has bypassed Indian positions to resume road construction activity from another axis, just nine km from Doklam face-off site, much to the chagrin of India. It has also constructed at least one full- fledged village there, if reports are any indication. New reports have come that China is building villages inside Bhutan, a friendly country of India.

The problem is that many of China’s actions in the recent past have only strengthened India’s doubts about the clarity and sincerity of the former’s stand on the vexed issues. The new law on land borders passed by China in October last and implemented from this January 1, is one such matter.

Reacting to it, the Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, said we had seen such reports of the Chinese side naming some places in Arunachal Pradesh and we had at the time conveyed our views on such a ridiculous exercise to support untenable territorial claims.

And to add to the list, there were reports of illegal construction of a bridge over Pangong Lake by China, the spokesperson made it categorically clear that this bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under the illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. We have never accepted such illegal occupation, he added. At the same time the Chinese political counselor at its embassy here wrote letters to Indian MPs on their participation at their events to which the spokesperson said the substance, tone and the tenor of the letter were inappropriate and expected the Chinese side to refrain from hyping normal activities by MPs.

In the wake of these happenings, it seems highly unlikely that the dispute between two Asian bigwigs will be resolved any sooner but negotiations may keep going so as to maintain the momentum of talks.

Source: Himalayan News Chronicle