Army takes stock as Chinese take plots in Arunachal Pradesh

Top brass meets in Assam, reviews activities along unmarked border

NEW DELHI: In the wake of reports published in DNA on China making fresh inroads into Arunachal Pradesh, top army commanders met in Assam on Tuesday to appraise the activities along India’s unmarked border and review counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast.

Lt Gen KS Jamwal, who heads the Kolkata-based Eastern Command, was briefed by the general officer commanding of the 4 Corps, Lt Gen RK Chhabra. The latter is heading the military offensive against the United Liberation Front of Asom in Arunachal and Assam. The GOC-in-C was also briefed about the activities along the Line of Actual Control, before his visit there.

Army sources told DNA that there were eight sectors of dispute along the India-China border in Arunachal and every summer the Chinese make a dozen or so intrusions in these parts. Though the army visits these places to stake India’s claim, the Chinese end up controlling the areas because “they are more aggressive”. Last year, the Intelligence Bureau reported that China had moved one of its posts further inside, but an examination by RAW  found they had merely built a structure.

The Centre and the Arunachal government have  been denying suggestions that the Chinese are making further inroads. Instead, the focus seems to be on building roads in remote border areas to remove the communication blocks for the Indian Army.

Intelligence officers said China had built an elaborate road network along the border. This, gave China a distinct advantage over India, they said.