There is no “slow encroachment” by China in Arunachal Pradesh, as alleged in some social media posts; government sources debunked claims on Tuesday. They said the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) are fully geared up to dominate the border, monitor developments and check Chinese activities.
Key Factors
The sources also pointed to the history of the border dispute, saying that in 1959, China attacked an Assam Rifles post at Longju and captured it. During the 1962 India-China war, major Chinese military operations were launched in the Kameng, Subansiri, Siyom, Siang and Lohit valleys. Because of infrastructure development undertaken by China, they said, the area has remained in adverse possession since then and has frequently been in the news.
Following the ceasefire, however, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) moved back north of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the sources said.
Evidence and Data
A concerted push for infrastructure development in recent years has strengthened India’s ability to patrol and conduct surveillance along the border, according to the sources. They said that since the India-China border remains undemarcated, patrols from the two sides sometimes come face-to-face. Sensational claims like this without going into specifics are attention-seeking ploys,” a source said. The development came on the same day that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated India’s position that Arunachal Pradesh is an “inalienable and integral part of India”. “It was underlined that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations,” the MEA said in a release.
Such situations are dealt with through existing mechanisms and protocols. “The Army and ITBP are geared up to dominate the border, monitor and check Chinese activities.
