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New Delhi: Acknowledging the threat posed by China building road and rail networks on the 3,488km border that it shares with India, railway minister Dinesh Trivedi articulated Indias response by proposing to undertake similar projects on priority and to ensure adequate government funding.
The geopolitical situation on borders arising out of building of state-of-art road and rail network by neighbouring countries requires a matching response, Trivedi said, without specifically naming China in his speech on Wednesday. The railways must remain in a state of preparedness to move men and machines to border areas. It is, therefore, necessary to undertake such projects on priority.
India is concerned about the infrastructure being developed by China along the frontier, given that the states bordering the northern neighbour are vulnerable to army intrusion. China has built a 40,000km road network in Tibet, apart from rail links of 1,118km, according to media reports.
The sophistication of their infrastructure has resulted in them becoming capable of moving whole divisions, both in the forward direction and sideways, said an Indian government official requesting anonymity. Our earlier position of not building any infrastructure in our part of the area has put us at a great disadvantage.
The two nuclear-armed neighbours have shared uneasy ties since an unresolved border dispute led to a brief war in 1962.
Assertiveness of China has increased in the recent past. Its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, being referred to by them as south Tibet has become more abrasive. Google images emanating from China clearly betray her claims over entire Arunachal Pradesh, according to a security analysis prepared by the Indian government.
The line of actual control between the two nations has been largely peaceful because of a number of agreements between 1993 and 2005.
Defence experts said building infrastructure along the Indian border will at least help match Chinas progress.
Not only will it help in quick movement of troops, but also result in better integrity of the region, said Ajai Sahni, director, Institute for Conflict Management. Connectivity towards the China border is very poor, whereas China has built large infrastructure at the border.
China claims 90,000 sq. km of Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh and occupies around 38,000 sq. km in Jammu and Kashmir, which India says is its own. Also, under the China-Pakistan boundary agreement signed in March 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in ***************** Kashmir to China. There have also been reports of Chinese companies engaging in infrastructure construction in the region of Kashmir administered by Pakistan.
As Chinese capability grows exponentially, both economically and militarily, the threat from the eastern borders looms large, the security analysis said.
A case in point is Myanmar, where China is engaged in infrastructure development with the aim of enhancing military capabilities.
Its rebuilding the Stilwell Road and developing several air fields with specifications that dont match aircraft owned by Myanmar, according to Indias defence ministry.
This was overdue for a long time. It would have a positive spin-off for both development and defence. For national security, it will provide greater connectivity to the borders, said C. Uday Bhaskar, former director of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.
Though its late .But a really needed move
Source:Railways seeks to head off China border threat - Economy and Politics - livemint.com
The geopolitical situation on borders arising out of building of state-of-art road and rail network by neighbouring countries requires a matching response, Trivedi said, without specifically naming China in his speech on Wednesday. The railways must remain in a state of preparedness to move men and machines to border areas. It is, therefore, necessary to undertake such projects on priority.
India is concerned about the infrastructure being developed by China along the frontier, given that the states bordering the northern neighbour are vulnerable to army intrusion. China has built a 40,000km road network in Tibet, apart from rail links of 1,118km, according to media reports.
The sophistication of their infrastructure has resulted in them becoming capable of moving whole divisions, both in the forward direction and sideways, said an Indian government official requesting anonymity. Our earlier position of not building any infrastructure in our part of the area has put us at a great disadvantage.
The two nuclear-armed neighbours have shared uneasy ties since an unresolved border dispute led to a brief war in 1962.
Assertiveness of China has increased in the recent past. Its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, being referred to by them as south Tibet has become more abrasive. Google images emanating from China clearly betray her claims over entire Arunachal Pradesh, according to a security analysis prepared by the Indian government.
The line of actual control between the two nations has been largely peaceful because of a number of agreements between 1993 and 2005.
Defence experts said building infrastructure along the Indian border will at least help match Chinas progress.
Not only will it help in quick movement of troops, but also result in better integrity of the region, said Ajai Sahni, director, Institute for Conflict Management. Connectivity towards the China border is very poor, whereas China has built large infrastructure at the border.
China claims 90,000 sq. km of Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh and occupies around 38,000 sq. km in Jammu and Kashmir, which India says is its own. Also, under the China-Pakistan boundary agreement signed in March 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in ***************** Kashmir to China. There have also been reports of Chinese companies engaging in infrastructure construction in the region of Kashmir administered by Pakistan.
As Chinese capability grows exponentially, both economically and militarily, the threat from the eastern borders looms large, the security analysis said.
A case in point is Myanmar, where China is engaged in infrastructure development with the aim of enhancing military capabilities.
Its rebuilding the Stilwell Road and developing several air fields with specifications that dont match aircraft owned by Myanmar, according to Indias defence ministry.
This was overdue for a long time. It would have a positive spin-off for both development and defence. For national security, it will provide greater connectivity to the borders, said C. Uday Bhaskar, former director of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.
Though its late .But a really needed move
Source:Railways seeks to head off China border threat - Economy and Politics - livemint.com
