CHINESE INTRUSION: NATIONAL SECURITY AT STAKE

Chinese Intrusion: Alarm bell

Ever since we got the news of Chinese intrusion into Indian territory the UPA Govt. continues to downplay the incursion issue in Ladakh saying its only perception and localised issue. The 19-kilometres deep intrusion into the strategically sensitive area around Daulet Beg Oldi in the Aksai Chin region, is this only a localised issue? If one were to believe minister of state (MoS) for home RPN Singh, the presence of Chinese troops (People’s Liberation Army) inside the Indian territory for 15 days since 16^th April 2013 and the attempt at grabbing 19 km of land cannot even be called an incursion, then then then what should we call it Mr. RPN are they our guest, sitting and waiting for snacks in our drawing room!

My question here is why only Chinese have this perception problem? Why not we have this problem and why do we want to downplay this serious issue relating to national integrity and nation’s image.

In one of the TV show “Seedhi Baat” programme on Aaj Tak, Mr RPN Singh shockingly ended up giving China the benefit of doubt and explained that India’s claim on the territory was “ a matter of perception”. “ The Chinese think we are intruding into their territory. Forty Chinese soldiers camping in four tents (now five tents) is not an intrusion. We think it’s our territory. Mr Prime Minister what benefit of doubt do we give when some outsider gets into our house without our permission and sets up his bedding. We would throw  that person out immediately just because its a matter of our country and not your own house, you cant sit back, and now you are giving this benefit of doubt.  
What more... Singh even ruled out the possibility of deploying the army by asserting that it wasn’t a full-fledged incursion. I did not understand what did he meant with   full-fledged incursion ? Do we want the PLA to intrude upto Delhi and then we would call it full-fledged and then we should act? Is this what he meant ?We should post the army 4 times the number they are as we did in Tawang in 1986 to push PLA back.

Here It is necessary at the outset to dispel any notions that the ongoing over two week long stand-off between PLA and the Indian Army in the barren, but strategically important, area around Daulet Beg Oldi (DBO) is just an isolated or unplanned incident. It is well planned and well institutionalised .Similar incidents of armed eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation have occurred in past in 1986 in Tawang sector Arunachal Pradesh and also since 2008 frequency of intrusion increased to 400-500 times a year all along the entire length of our 4,057 kilometres border guarded by ITBP. Every time they intrude mark their presence and go back but this time around they are firm and say you are in Chinese Territory. Is this a move of provocation or just a tactical military move. But i think on this occasion, Beijing seems to have a specific motive. What is Interesting here is, the intrusion coincided with the release of China’s latest Defence White Paper and PLA Navy Day.

Beijing remains transparently unmoved by the adverse media publicity and damage it has caused to India-China relations. It has neither moved to resolve the situation despite three flag meetings at the level of local army commanders and communications from New Delhi requesting resolution. Chinese are adamant here and our UPA Govt is trying best to giving some other unacceptable excuses. Beijing has thus made it abundantly clear that it will defuse the situation only at a time of its choosing. This is a win win situation for them and here our UPA Govt.  is not just loosing ground to stand but also it is being called a coward Govt. By their partners like Mr.  Mulayam Singh (SP Leader). Beijing’s stance confirms too that the stand-off is not a local incident provoked by the action of a local commander, but one initiated with the full knowledge of China’s senior leadership.

The timing of this intrusion points to a specific motive. It comes just weeks before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Japan and is a warning against India expressing support to Japan. Remind you China and Japan have Island issues to be resolved. The backdrop is the steadily escalating tension between China and Japan over the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands. Here India has to align itself to all anti china countries like Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam all these countries have border, sea and island issues with China. Can we take advantage of this to push China back on Diplomatic ground but here we have Mr Khurshid , lets see what he brings out from his visit to Beijing on 8th May. Till then our Govt is playing a waiting game...

In the context of China’s national interests, China’s top leaders strongly apprehend that the US is putting together an alliance comprising India, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Australia to contain China’s rise. Is this there problem that india is aligning with the USA. China’s latest Defence White Paper released on 16 April 2013, in a thinly veiled comment declared that “Some country has strengthened its Asia-Pacific military alliances, expanded its military presence in the region, and frequently makes the situation there tenser.” The reference to the US is implicit here.

Tension between China and Japan over the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands has risen since 2010. China has been adamant in asserting its maritime territorial claims over the Senkakus (Diaoyu). More significant is the statement of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson. Speaking at the regular Foreign Ministry briefing in Beijing on April 26, 2013, she repeatedly, and for the first time publicly, referred that the Chinese did not intrude in the Indian territory where as India only intruded in Chinese territory . The statement raises the level of the dispute significantly and clarifies that Beijing does not consider the matter open for negotiation.

There have been warning indicators earlier that Beijing views the growing warmth in relations between India and US and between India and Japan with suspicion. In the days following the largest ever US-ROK joint military exercises in July 2010, a Hong Kong-based pro-Beijing newspaper observed: “the issue of China’s territorial disputes with neighbouring countries will ignite the flames of war sooner or later. If a country must be chosen for sacrifice, India will be the first choice. They say India’s long term occupation of southern Tibet is indeed worrying. If armed force is used to resolve border disputes, China must pick a country to target first, and it will definitely pick a big country, which means choosing between Japan and India…”.  Other references stated that China’s relationship with India and Japan had limits imposed by history. With this Beijing dragged India into the South China Sea dispute. Our disabled UPA Is yet to respond to these references strongly, how can we forget 1962 war a blunder by then PM Mr. Nehru. These so called chini bhai took away 3200 sq.km of land in Arunachal Pradesh and have control over Aksai Chin in J&K.

China’s latest action needs to be viewed in the backdrop of the People’s Republic of China’s readiness to employ military force on issues of national interest relating to its security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.  Beijing is adept at using a blend of threats and promise of military retaliation to deter an adversary from taking actions contrary to Beijing’s interests. India needs to calibrate and time its response. But one thing is clear we need to respond effectively, there are some do’s which we can apart from military action there can be:  

(A) Taking up issue of TIBET in the UN to put China on Back foot. 

(B) Stopping trade of any kind / imposing various taxes on Chinese goods. 

(C) Putting China under question on human right ground on the issue of TIBET. 

(D)Placing of Mountain Division on strategic location at DBO to put pressure. 

(E)Aligning with countries against China. 

(F)Restarting infra development works which were stopped.

(G)Infantry Division in Tawang Sector where we are at tactical advantage.

No one quite knows what drives China's policies towards its neighbour India !!

-Amit Singh