NEW DELHI: Indian Army vice-chief Lt-General Sarath Chand on Tuesday said China would continue to remain a threat for India in the future. “On the North, we have China which has a large landmass, huge resources and a large standing Army. Despite having the Himalayas between us, China is bound to be a threat for us in years ahead,” said Lt-Gen Chand, addressing a seminar in the Indian capital.
Pointing at the collusion between China and Pakistan, the senior officer said the latter chose to continuously needle India through low-intensity warfare rather than engage in a full-fledged war. “This suits its all-weather friend China,” he said, while also slamming Pakistan for “stooping low” and deliberately targeting schools in cross-border shelling.
Much like the Line of Control with Pakistan, Indian soldiers are prepared for the long haul near the tri-junction with China as well. Apart from the already present 63 and 112 Brigades (over 3,000 troops each) in east and north-east Sikkim, the Army has moved up another 2,500 soldiers from the 164 Brigade to Zuluk and Nathang Valley in the state to further reinforce its military stance.
But there are just about 300-400 soldiers from each side at the actual face-off site in the Doklam area, who are engaged in showing red-flags to each other in “a non-aggressive manner” after having pitched tents there. “Our troops are much better positioned in the region, with proper logistical supply lines, than the Chinese troops,” said a source.
Meanwhile India will remain “firm and resolute” on the ground or at the military level to thwart any attempt by China to “bully” Bhutan, while being “reasonable” at the politico-diplomatic level to resolve the ongoing troop stand-off with the People’s Liberation Army in the Doklam area in Bhutanese territory, Times of India quoting official sources said.
India has steadily established an “enhanced border management posture” near the Sikkim-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction under this overall strategy, with additional soldiers being deployed after proper acclimatisation for any contingency in the region located at an altitude over 11,000-feet.
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