Chennai: Amidst growing diplomatic anxiety between India and China over the latest incursion by the Communist army into Indian territory of Ladakh particularly at a time when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was serving dinner to visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping, two retired Army colonels in Chennai say that at Ladakh both countries operate on imaginary border.
India should outsmart Chinese in developing border districts and providing infrastructure to local residents to assert itself, they feel. The retired Army officers, who had served extensively on India–China borders, are of the opinion that India should try to solve the issue socially. “The British had handed over India to our political leaders without marking the border with China in the Ladakh area. We have the same kind of problem in Arunachal Pradesh also.
While India as a policy do not allow the country men to settle in such border area, Chinese government extends all support to civilians who are ready to occupy such disputed location. We also don’t keep a 365 days surveillance on the India–Chinese border unlike the India–Pak border line, which is considered as a very aggressive border. It makes things easy for China to push their men into areas considered to be under the control of India,” noted Col (retired) C.R. Sundar.
While most Indians find it difficult to cope with the extreme weather on the border, settlers from China side do not have any problem in setting up their homes on ‘vacant land’ with the support of their government, he added. Across the border, China showcases a very successful nation. “Their infrastructure building exercise is very fast. Their roads are better. They have good schools on the border, which are as good as top schools in Delhi. If the locals are attracted towards China, we cant blame them. The China side is smarter than Indian side. Even the uniform their soldiers wear is much better than the one used by our boys,” says Col (retired) A.D. Tensingh.
Over 1,000 soldiers each from India and China are locked in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation at the border in Chumur sector. India rushed reinforcements to Chumur after learning about Chinese aggression. The Chinese side allegedly brought in heavy construction equipment and a large labour force to set up a road up to the border, which increased the tension. A flag meeting between both sides ended on Wednesday late night without any result.
Source Deccan Chronicle
