In a first, a joint expedition team from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has reached the base camp of Mount Kangto. This assumes all the more significance as Mount Kangto, the highest peak in Arunachal Pradesh, is located right on the India-China border.
The strategic significance of this is immense as the ITBP team has opened the route from Bameng village in the East Kameng district, located 50 km from the Mount Kangto base. Currently, 54 Border Outposts (BOPs) of the ITBP lie in the East Kameng district, and with the opening of the route, the BOPs will be set up for patrolling in this region. Such a move is likely to annoy Beijing, which claims Arunachal Pradesh to be part of China.
Analysts have welcomed the ITBP's feat. Dr Monika Chansoria, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies and a China observer, believes that the ITBP's feat will bolster the presence of the CRPF and the Army, along the India-China border. Chansoria also points out that the move forms part of India's overall strategy in the region.
"The opening of a new route in East Kameng district (and the scaling of the base camp of Mount Kangto) is in sync with the recent military upgradation of the IAF's airfields and Advanced Landing Grounds in Pasighat, Mechuk (situated 29 km from the China border), Ziro, Aalo, Vijoynagar, Tuting and the strategically vital Tawang," she said.
"This cohesively points to India's growing focus to enhance operational capabilities in key forward areas in the eastern sector that are located 100 km or less from its border with China in Arunachal Pradesh,'' Dr Chansoria added.
In fact, in early November, India had landed its largest military transport aircraft, the C-17 Globemaster, at Mechuk.
The ITBP's achievement has come in the wake of Beijing's recent aggressive postures against New Delhi. On July 9, 250 Chinese troops entered the East Kameng district, and stayed there for three hours. According to sources, the transgression happened around the same time that Beijing had blocked India's bid to be a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Post this, China again entered Indian territory in the Chamoli district of Uttaranchal on July 19, triggering an hour-long confrontation.
In th spring of 1962, prior to the Sino-India war, then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had ordered a small number of lightly armed Indian troops to establish presence and control in the forward areas along the Chinese borders, despite intense sabre-rattling in Beijing. The policy known as 'Forward Policy' was originally intended as a 'game of chess and a battle of wits' .
