China at it again

Indian and Chinese troops exchanged sweets at border posts along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including areas of eastern Ladakh, to ring in the New Year. For an instant, this goodwill gesture made the prolonged standoff between the two sides recede into the background. Not surprisingly, the mirage of bonhomie has proved to be short-lived. The PLA is relentlessly building infrastructure near the LAC, making it crystal-clear that China is in for the long haul. The Chinese are constructing a bridge on the Pangong Tso lake that will shorten a distance of 180 km on the Tibet-Xinjiang highway, thus helping them deploy troops faster between the north and south banks of the lake.

In another telltale sign of provocative posturing, China recently renamed the Sela pass, eight villages and towns, four mountains and two rivers in ‘Zagnan’ or South Tibet — the name used by Beijing for Arunachal Pradesh. The move comes amid ongoing construction of the Sela tunnel, likely to be ready by June this year, by India’s Border Roads Organisation. The tunnel is expected to facilitate faster movement of Indian troops in Arunachal’s Tawang, a strategically located district bordering China. It was in the Tawang sector that Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a brief face-off in October last year. That month, the 13th round of Corps Commander-level military talks had ended in a stalemate. No round of talks has been held since then.

New Delhi has rightly been holding Beijing responsible for not walking the talk on ensuring long-term peace and tranquillity in the border areas. While remaining in a state of high alert, India should continue to ramp up infrastructure along the LAC. India’s efforts to bolster its military prowess, including the deployment of a state-of-the-art air defence missile system, are undoubtedly keeping China on tenterhooks. Exercising restraint in the face of provocation will be a challenge, even as every Chinese misadventure must evoke a firm response. Matching the hostile neighbour’s battle-readiness will hold the key to a stable balance of power in the region.