Situation stable in Tawang region after border skirmish on Dec 9
Indian Army’s Eastern Command chief Lt General R P Kalita on Friday said border areas with China along the country’s northern frontier are “stable” and Indian Armed forces remain “firmly in control.” This is the first official version from the Indian Army coming after the tussle with the Chinese Army on December 9, at the Tawang region of Arunachal Pradesh.
Kalita’s assertion in Kolkata comes a week after Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed at the border area of Yangtze, Tawang. Responsible for the security of the Line of Control (LAC) in the eastern sector, Kalita said there are different perceptions of the LAC by the Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army at several points. He also said eight of these areas are acknowledged by both sides.
Kalita said the Chinese army – PLA – transgressed in one of these areas in the Tawang Sector in Arunachal Pradesh, which was “very firmly contested” by Indian Forces on the ground. “Presently, would like to assure everybody that the border areas along the northern frontier are stable and we are firmly in control,” he said.
Maintaining that there were some minor injuries suffered by soldiers of both sides in the December nine clash, Kalita said local commanders were able to resolve the issue by carrying out negotiations resorting to existing protocols. “It led to some amount of physical violence, but it was contained at the local level resorting to existing bilateral mechanisms and protocols,” the Eastern Army Commander said. This was followed by a Flag Meeting at the delegation level at Bum la (mountain pass), wherein the issue was resolved further, he added.
To a question of whether there was any incursion by China or any land in Arunachal that was being held by India’s northern neighbour, the Army Commander said “the short answer is no.” Kalita was speaking to reporters after a solemn wreath ceremony at Fort William, the Eastern Command headquarters here, on the 51st Vijay Diwas marking the victory over Pakistan by Indian armed forces and Mukti Bahini leading to the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.
Assuring that the Armed Forces are prepared for all eventualities and all contingencies, the border areas have seen a huge focus on infrastructure development. The projects include building new roads, railway tracks, airports, and communication lines, he said adding it is definitely going to enhance the Indian Armed forces’ operational capabilities.
Kalita said there has been no fresh issue with regard to infrastructure development at Doklam in the Sikkim Sector, which was witness to a 73-day standoff between the armies of India and China in 2017. He said that if any such issue arises, it is resolved at the local level itself. This observation came in the backdrop of reports that China has built ropeways and roads in its territory near the tri-junction of Doklam. “There has been no fresh development as far as Doklam is concerned with regard to infrastructure development,” Kalita said.
Meanwhile, the command-level Indian Air Force (IAF) exercise is on in the eastern sector since Thursday, officials said adding it was scheduled in advance and is not related to the current developments in the Arunachal Pradesh sector. Over 40 fighter aircraft including the Rafale, and Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft under the umbrella of an Advanced Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft participated in the consolidated training exercise in the area of responsibility of Eastern Air Command, they said.
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