IANS Photo
New Delhi, February 12 (IANS) China has been fomenting trouble at the international border shared with India along border areas such as Ladakh's Pangong Tso, Tibet, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim due to its nefarious designs.
Airstrips as well as bridges are being built by China on the border areas shared with neighbouring India.
Although the Indian Army has categorically made it clear that it is fully capable and ready to deal with any war-like situation along the border areas shared with China.
During the recent skirmishes between India and China, the Indian Army has successfully defeated Chinese' People's Liberation Army (PLA).
A similar simmering tension on the Line of Actual Control between India and China is evident in the Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh due to Chinese aggression against India.
Now China is rapidly building a bridge in the Pangong Tso Lake area. Satellite images have revealed that China is building a bridge about eight metre wide and the work on this bridge continued in winters despite the severe cold temperatures.
This bridge is being constructed on the southern side of the Chinese army base located on the northern bank of Pangong Tso lake. During the border skirmish with India in 2020, China had built temporary hospitals and godowns at this place.
On June 15, 2020, a clash took place between the Indian and Chinese soldiers at Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh where 20 Indian soldiers were martyred, while China had to pay a heavy price for the conflict in which 42 PLA soldiers were killed. This violent clash between the armies of the two countries took place on the night of June 15, 2020. China's aggressive actions were responsible for this entire incident.
Several months later, in February 2021, China announced posthumous medals to four of its soldiers who were killed in the Galwan Valley skirmish. China confirmed the death of only four PLA soldiers but an Australian newspaper claimed in one of its investigative reports that at least 38 PLA soldiers were killed in Galwan Valley and not four Chinese soldiers.
In 2022, after increasing its number of personnel, the Chinese army tried to reach the strategically significant 17,000 feet peak in Arunachal Pradesh's Yangtse area on December 9. According to sources, the Chinese army reached the LAC on December 9 with 300 soldiers as part of a well-planned conspiracy to remove the Indian post located in the Yangtse area.
Although India was already cautious of Chinese army's movement in Arunachal Pradesh and so the number of Indian soldiers was increased in proportion to the China's PLA. Well-prepared Indian Army personnel defeated the Chinese in their nefarious attempt in Arunachal Pradesh. The source said that a total of 34 Indian and more than 40 Chinese soldiers were injured in the clash.
Even in Sikkim's Nathu La, China has shown its nefarious designs. In September 1967, Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed at Nathu La in Sikkim Where 88 soldiers of India were martyred while about 340 soldiers of China were killed. The China's PLA had first attacked Indian posts in Nathu La.
The Indian Army is also particularly cautious in the eastern Ladakh region regarding China. China has been trying to dominate the unfenced areas with the intention of occupying the land. According to media reports, this issue has also been said in the note presented in the meeting of DGP and IGP held in New Delhi last week.
In such a situation, the Army officials have suggested to the Indian government that border tourism can be promoted rapidly in strategic areas such as Turtuk or Siachen sector and Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) or Depsang plains. Experts believe that the Karakoram Pass can also be opened for domestic tourists for trekking and hiking.
The Minister of State for Defence, Ajay Bhatt has also told IANS that the Union government is moving towards promoting tourism in the border areas.
