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Jyeshtha Krushna Pratipada
Why Indian Government take any firm action against such intrusions of China in Indian Terrotory? - Editor
Updates
- India slams China: Sikkim is a settled issue (19 June 08)
- Sikkim intrusion: India shies away from confronting China (18 Jun 08)
- China army intrudes into Sikkim, retreats in 1 hr (18 Jun 08)
India slams China: Sikkim is a settled issue
June 19, 2008Jyeshtha Krushna Pratipada
New Delhi: India has come out strongly against reports of intrusion by the Chinese army personnel in Sikkim.
New Delhi has demanding an explanation from Beijing for the transgression by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) almost a kilometer inside Indian territory, before retreating.
Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence MM Pallam Raju said, "I think it is very unfortunate. Sikkim is a settled matter as far as India is concerned. But if really there has been a transgression, it would have been raised at a flag meeting and if there is still an issue as two responsible neighbours we will sort it out. I guess that is China's way of putting pressure of resolving the boundary dispute faster."
"There is no way that we will yield an inch. We will stand our ground. Both nations have too much stake. We are rising economies and trade between both countries is improving, relationship is strengthening. So these things should not derail whatever closeness that we are developing," Raju added.
The latest incursion by Chinese troops took place on Monday, with a vehicle-mounted patrol crossing almost one kilometer into Indian territory, in Sikkim's northernmost tip known as the 'Finger Area', which came to limelight in the wake of Chinese claims over the 2.1 sq km of land in north Sikkim.
The Indian Army has not denied the report and sources downplayed the incidents saying these transgressions were "a routine affair" in which the PLA personnel violate India's perception of the 4,057-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Beijing is now laying claim to the area despite New Delhi's position that the Sikkim border question is settled.
China has been stepping up incursions across the 200-km border between Sikkim and Tibet since the beginning of this year.
Army sources, however, say Chinese incursions into Sikkim is not limited to Finger Area.
They say so far in 2008, 71 incursions have taken place along Sikkim's entire frontage with China. Hence, Chinese is disputing not just the northernmost tip of Sikkim as reported so far, but the entire Sikkim boundary, they point out.
Also, there have been reports of over 150 transgressions by the PLA across the LAC last year.
During the recent visit of India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Beijing, the Chinese reportedly stunned him by raising the issue of Finger Area.
However, Defence Minister A K Antony and the Indian Army establishment have been repeatedly downplaying the transgressions as "misconception over the LAC" on the part of China.
"Just as the Chinese keep transgressing into the Indian territory as per their perception of LAC, Indian Army too keeps patrolling the areas under its control along the LAC," Antony had said recently.
Though ITBP claimed that the present transgression took place in an area that was not under their control, officials said they were not in a position to confirm or deny the incident.
Source: www.ibnlive.com
Sikkim intrusion: India shies away from confronting China
June 18, 2008Jyeshtha Pournima
New Delhi: In a major cause for concern for the Central Government and the Indian Army, Chinese troops earlier in June reportedly intruded one kilometre into Sikkim.
The transgression took place in the Finger Area, which China has laid claim to. India, however, has shied away from a confrontation with China on the alleged intrusion.
Last year the former Chinese ambassador San Yuxi said, "In our position, the whole of what you call Arunachal Pradesh is Chinese territory."
So it's not just Arunachal Pradesh, which China covets. Beijing has served notice that Sikkim too is now disputed with a Chinese border patrol reportedly intruding about one kilometer deep inside northern Sikkim.
Although the Chinese withdrew after registering their presence, the message was conveyed.
The contested area is the northern tip of Sikkim north of Gyangyong, which the Indian Army refers to as the Finger Area.
This is the first reported Chinese intrusion after their new territorial claim was discussed during External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's recent visit to China.
The Chinese have obviously dismissed Indian pleadings and the Indian response has been defensive.
"We are trying to avoid confrontation. That's why the dialogue is continuing," Union Defence Minister AK Antony replied.
There are indications from the Indian Army that earlier transgressions by the Chinese into Sikkim may have gone unnoticed.
That was because the Army formation tasked with guarding the frontier had been moved to Jammu and Kashmir.
India woke up to the Chinese designs on northern Sikkim only after troop strength was restored to the area late last year.
So far, Sikkim was considered a settled issue particularly after China acknowledged its accession to India.
But now it is clear that China considers Sikkim boundaries as negotiable.
Source: www.ibnlive.com
China army intrudes into Sikkim, retreats in 1 hr
June 18, 2008
New Delhi: In yet another incident of Chinese transgressions into Indian territory, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) personnel entered up to a kilometre of Indian territory in Sikkim and returned to their territory after spending some time there.
The transgression took place recently in the Finger Area, which came to limelight in the wake of Chinese claims over the 2.1 sq km of land in north Sikkim, sources said on Wednesday.
The recent move of the PLA seems like an effort on the Chinese part to assert their claims over the area.
Seeking to downplay the incident, Indian Army sources said these transgressions were "a routine affair" in which the PLA personnel violate India's perception of the 4,057-km long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
The PLA men drove light motor vehicles and later returned to Chinese territory, sources said.
Though it was believed until recently that the Chinese have reconciled to the idea of Sikkim being a part of India, there have been at least 65 incidents of transgressions reported in the last six months by PLA personnel into the Finger Area of the State, sources said.
Also, there have been reports of over 150 transgressions by the PLA across the LAC last year.
During the recent visit of India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Beijing, the Chinese reportedly stunned him by raising the issue of Finger Area.
However, Defence Minister A K Antony and the Indian Army establishment have been repeatedly downplaying the transgressions as "misconception over the LAC" on the part of China.
"Just as the Chinese keep transgressing into the Indian territory as per their perception of LAC, Indian Army too keeps patrolling the areas under its control along the LAC," Antony had said recently.
Though ITBP claimed that the present transgression took place in an area that was not under their control, officials said they were not in a position to confirm or deny the incident.
Source: www.ibnlive.com
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