Chinese troops enter Sikkim sector, destroyed two bunkers

[Hindustani78]

Press Trust of India, Chennai, Sep 12 2017, 16:53 IST

The data share by upper riparian state, China, to lower riparian states, India and Bangladesh is essential every monsoon to allow anticipation of the flow of the water and take necessary measures to deal with flooding in India's northeastern states. Representational Image. Photo credit: PTI.

China today said that it cannot share with India the hydrological data of the Brahmaputra river for the time being as the data collection station in Tibet is being upgraded.

China, however, said it is ready to "keep communication" with India to reopen the Nathu La pass in Sikkim for the Indian pilgrims visiting Kailash and Manasarovar in Tibet, which it had suspended in mid June over the Doklam standoff.

"For long time we have conducted cooperation on the river data with the Indian side. But to upgrade and renovate the relevant station in the Chinese side, we do not have the conditions now to collect the relevant statistics of the river," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told media here.

Asked when will China provide the data, which was reportedly suspended due to the Doklam standoff, he said, "We will later consider that."

Asked whether India has been informed about not sharing of the hydrological data, he said according to his information the Indian side is aware of it.

On August 18, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar had said there is an existing expert-level mechanism, established in 2006, and there are two MoUs under which China is expected to share hydrological data on rivers Sutlej and Brahmaputra with India during the flood season of May 15 to June 15.

"For this year, we have not received hydrological data from the Chinese side," Kumar had said.

The data share by upper riparian state, China, to lower riparian states, India and Bangladesh is essential every monsoon to allow anticipation of the flow of the water and take necessary measures to deal with flooding in India's northeastern states.

On the reopening of the Nathu La Pass for the Indian pilgrims visiting Kailash and Manasarovar in Tibet which was suspended over the Doklam standoff, Geng said China is ready to "keep communication" with the India.

"For a long China has made efforts against all odds to provide necessary convenience to the Indian pilgrims. According to the agreement reached between the two leaders and based on the fact that the western section of the India-China boundary has been recognised by the two sides, China opened the pass to the Indian pilgrims," he said, replying to a question when China will open the route to the Indian pilgrims as the Doklam standoff has been resolved.

The foreign ministry spokesman said the opening of the Nathu La pass was suspended as the Indian troops "illegally crossed the border leading to the tensions at the border".

"The Indian troops illegally crossed the border leading to the tensions at the border. So the opening of the pass was suspended," he said.

"So China stands ready to keep communication with the Indian side in regard to the opening of the pass and other issues relating to the pilgrims," he said.

The Sikkim route to Mansarovar was opened in 2015, enabling pilgrims to travel the 1500-km long route from Nathu La to Kailash by buses.

The Yatra was being organised by External Affairs Ministry since 1981 through Lipu Pass in Himalays connecting the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand in India with the old trading town of Taklakot in Tibet.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-lower-guard-lt-gen-hariz/article19684204.ece
Bhopal:, September 14, 2017 17:35 IST
Updated: September 14, 2017 17:35 IST

The Doklam problem was not the last of its kind and the Army cannot afford to lower its guard since it has been resolved, a top military commander said on Thursday.

“Our training in command and preparedness remains intact.

It does not mean that we should let the guard down because the Dokalam issue has been resolved,” General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Pune-based Southern Command Lt. General P M Hariz said.

He was talking to reporters after giving away 63 gallantry and distinguished service awards at an investiture ceremony of the Southern Command here.

“We never let our guard down. We remain alert and we ensure that our preparedness is always of the highest order,” Lt. Gen. Hariz said.

The officer said the Army was always in a state of readiness to swiftly take position when needed to give a befitting reply to the enemy.

“Recently there was a problem in Dokalam which has been resolved. But this doesn’t mean that it was the last. The Dokalam issue was resolved through diplomatic efforts by both sides [India and China],” he said.

He praised the Indian media for handling the issue in a “responsible” manner.

Indian and Chinese troops faced off for more than two months at Dokalam plateau near Sikkim which has been claimed by both China and Bhutan.

They stood eyeball to eyeball since June 16 when Indian troops stopped the Chinese from building a road at the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction before the two countries decided on an “expeditious disengagement” towards the end of August.

 

[Hindustani78]

Hindustan Times, Beijing

File photo of vehicles from a PLA artillery regiment conducting manoeuvres in the Tibet Autonomous Region in April 2016.(China Military Online)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world...by-military/story-Qt0HSCVA9sjj3UZG7rc18I.html


A new strategic highway in Tibet will link the region to Nepal and can be used for military purposes, state media reported on Monday, adding the road can help open up South Asia to China .

Experts said the 25-metre wide highway can be used by armoured vehicles and serve as a runway for military aircraft if required.

India is likely to be “irritated” by the development, the state media reported.

“The Tibet highway between Xigaze airport and Xigaze city centre officially opened to the public on Friday, a short section linking the national highway to the Nepal border which experts said will enable China to forge a route into South Asia in both economic and defence terms,” the Global Times tabloid said in a report.

The 40.4-km highway will shorten the journey between the dual-use civil and military airport and Tibet's second-largest city from an hour to 30 minutes.

The highway is expected to be linked to the China-Nepal railway in future, experts said.

“As part of G318, the highway connects the border town of Zhangmu with Lhasa, the capital city of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. It can link with the future cross-border Sino-Nepali railway,” said Zhao Gancheng, director of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies.

The report added: “The Sino-Nepali railway was part of a deal struck by Nepal deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara when he visited China in early September. The railway includes two lines: one connecting three of Nepal's most important cities and two crossing the border between China and Nepal.”

Zhao said the railway line, which passes through the Chinese border town of Zhangmu and connects with routes in Nepal, will be the first rail link from China to enter South Asia.

Zhao told the newspaper: "Although the railway connection between China and Nepal is intended to boost regional development and not for military purposes, the move will still probably irritate India. India is always disgusted when neighbouring countries attempt to get closer to China.”

Mahara said earlier this month that Nepal is fully committed to pushing forward cooperation with China under the Belt and Road Initiative. He was in China for a six-day official visit earlier this month.

"We have already signed the memorandum of understanding on participating in the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China," Mahara told official Xinhua news agency.

According to Xinhua, the total “highway mileage” in Tibet touched 80,000 km in 2016, an increase of 19,000 km since 2011.

 

[Hindustani78]

NEW DELHI, September 25, 2017 22:13 IST
Updated: September 25, 2017 22:13 IST
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...f-gen-rawat/article19753379.ece?homepage=true

We will strike again if the adversary does not behave, says Army chief Gen. Rawat
India had conducted surgical strikes last year as a message to Pakistan. They can continue in future too, said Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Monday.

“The strikes were more of a messaging that we wanted to communicate and I think that they understand that… If required and if the adversary does not behave, then we have to continue these kind of activities. But there are also other ways of doing these things and they may not take the same form,” he said.

Gen. Rawat made these comments after releasing the book, India’s most fearless: True stories of modern military heroes authored by two defence journalists, Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh. The book catalogues 14 personal accounts of soldiers and their courage in extreme situations under hostile conditions, including of officers who participated in the surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) and the strikes on insurgent camps in Myanmar. Eight are of the Army and three each of the Navy and the Air Force.

Recording history

In September last year, the Army launched surgical strikes against terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) after 19 soldiers were killed in a terror attack on an Army camp in Uri.

On the impact of the surgical strikes, Gen. Rawat said: “We are now more capable of taking decisions keeping our national interests in mind.”

Observing that the country was “poor in recording history”, he hoped that someday such personal accounts would find their way into school textbooks.

On increasing infiltrations along the LoC, Gen. Rawat said they would keep coming and we would keep receiving them and “burying them under the ground.”

Enhanced image

Former Army Chief Gen. Dalbir Singh, under whose tenure both the surgical strikes were conducted, echoed similar views on their impact. They had “struck well as deterrence and have enhanced India’s image abroad,” he said.

However he refused to delve into the details of the surgical strikes. “The methods and means of executing the surgical strikes cannot be made public,” Gen. Singh said. Stating that India’s Special Forces were the finest in the world, he stressed on the need to upgrade them from time to time.

 

[Hindustani78]

The number of Chinese troops was 10 times more than what was reported earlier, a media report quoted the book as saying.

By Zee Media Bureau | Last Updated: Monday, September 25, 2017 - 17:09

http://zeenews.india.com/india/chin...ng-doklam-standoff-says-new-book-2045401.html

New Delhi: China intimidated India and Bhutan by deploying a staggering 12,000 troops, 150 tanks and artillery during the Doklam standoff, a new book has claimed.

The book, "Securing India The Modi Way: Pathankot, Surgical Strikes and More", written by defence analyst Nitin Gokhale, contains quotes from National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, military chiefs and other senior Indian officials.

The number of Chinese troops was 10 times more than what was earlier reported, a media report quoted the book as saying. China had also used portable loudspeakers to intimidate India, the book, which also contains drone images of the area, claimed.


China deployed its troops in the Chumbi Valley close to the Indian border in Sikkim during the standoff, the book said, adding the Indian Army did not move its troops close to the border as they were not far away.

The book also claimed Chinese soldiers forcibly jostled their Bhutanese counterparts and "escorted" them to their posts after threatening them.

The Bhutanese troops later informed the Indian Army that China had warned the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) to not interfere with the road construction they were about to undertake, after which the Indian Army decided to increase vigil.

The book gives a step-by-step account of the how the conflict escalated between China and India, which included Indian troops delivering a message through a loud-hailer from Doka La to stop construction.

The dispute erupted after India objected to the Chinese building a road through the mountainous area.

Small incursions and troop stand-offs are common along with other parts of the contested 3,500-km (2,175-mile) frontier, but the Doklam impasse was marked by its length and the failure of talks to resolve the dispute.

However on August 28, India and China agreed to withdraw troops from the disputed trijunction, ending the 73-day stand-off.

A chapter of the book would be released by Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu in Delhi on Friday.

 

[Hindustani78]

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh takes the salute of the Guard of Honour on his arrival at Dehradun on September 29. | Photo Credit: PTI

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...gue-rajnath/article19775679.ece?homepage=true

The India-China border dispute can be resolved through a “structural dialogue” and a positive approach, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on September 29. Mr. Singh made the remarks while visiting a forward post in Uttarakhand where he met jawans of the Indo Tibetan Border Police.

Undertaking the first-ever visit by a senior Minister to the China border after the recent resolution of the standoff in the Dokalam area of the Sikkim sector, Mr. Singh said there has been a “perceptional difference” of the border between the two neighbours for long and that he was sure that this issue will be “resolved” with time. “The border issue will be resolved once we have structural dialogue (with China). What we need is a positive approach (to the issue),” the Home Minister said at the ITBP post located at an altitude of 14,311 feet.

Mr. Singh said the Dokalam “deadlock” was resolved similarly and without any confrontation.

The ‘Mana’ ITBP post is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand as the last battalion centre of the paramilitary that serves forward border bases along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Interacting with the jawans of the force during a Sainik Sammelan at the border post, Mr. Singh also made the announcement that “light clothing” for winters and to combat frosty weather will be provided to the ITBP troops, who are mostly deployed above the height of 9,000 feet. He assured the troops that issues such as better promotional avenues, exemption of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) canteens from the GST and enhancement of infrastructure and other facilities for them will be taken up on priority.

The Minister expressed concern that not many promotions have been effected in the force, as he asked ITBP Director-General (DG) R.K. Pachnanda to undertake more steps in this regard. The force has recently promoted about 1,600 personnel across various ranks. “We are trying to give the best facilities to our jawans... we have recently promoted about 36,000 troops (in the constabulary) in all the CAPFs, including 3,500 from the ITBP.

“These things will keep going on...we will surely look into all your issues,” he told the jawans.

Mr. Singh praised the ITBP personnel and called them “multi dimensional” as they render a variety of duties in the internal security domain of the country. “We are proud of you,” he said.

The 90,000 personnel strong ITBP is tasked with guarding the 3,488km long India-China border across five States from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...ofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

China has stepped up security on its borders with India, North Korea and Myanmar as the ruling Communist Party (CPC) gears up to hold a key national congress next month during which President Xi Jinping is expected to get an endorsement for a second five-year term.

China's border police forces under the People's Armed Police became the latest government agency to make a show of support for President Xi, saying officers would focus on the frontiers to ensure stability for the five-yearly gathering, the South China Morning Post reported.

They would also tighten monitoring of coastal areas and ramp up counterterrorism work, the police said in a statement.

"(We will) stick to the highest standards, strictest requirements and strongest measures to ensure absolute border security for the party's 19th national congress," the statement said.

Conspicuously absent from the statement was the restive province of Xinjiang which shared borders with Pakistan occupied Kashmir (Azad Kashmir) and Afghanistan.

Reports from Xinjiang said police erected body scanners at the roadcheck posts to prevent any violent attacks by the separatist East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

Xinjiang, the home of Uygur Muslims, is restive over the settlements of Hans.

Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst and Asian security expert at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the border forces were trying to promote their role as guardians against what Beijing saw as potential threats.

"Leading into the party congress, they want to seem to be successful, increasing their political strength and being proactive in dealing with these security situations," Davis said.

Zhang Baohui, a Chinese politics specialist at Lingnan University, said that although the offshore conflicts were unlikely to pose any real danger to the congress, the police must declare their determination to stamp out risk.

"They all have to do something to show they're doing their best for the 19th national congress," Zhang said. "It's a way to show loyalty."

The congress, starting on October 18, is expected to see Xi named the party's general secretary for a second term and a dozen officials named to key positions.

Security personnel have been out in force across the country to make sure the highly-choreographed gathering is not disturbed by social unrest. But the build-up comes amid ethnic clashes in Myanmar and the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula.

South Korea expects more provocative acts by North Korea next month to coincide with the anniversary of the founding of the North Korean communist party.

In a meeting with South Korea President Moon Jae-in yesterday, national security adviser Chung Eui-yong said he expected Pyongyang to act around October 10 and 18, but gave no details.

"Ties between India and China have also been tested by a border row in the Himalayas," the Post report said.

At a security drill by armed police and firefighters on Saturday, Bayanqolu, party chief of Jilin, which borders North Korea, ordered the province to strengthen "frontline border control" in the run-up to the congress

"(We must) firmly prevent major incidents that will harm political security and border stability," he said. "(We will) take action to show absolute loyalty, pure loyalty to the party (leadership) and general secretary Xi Jinping."

On the China-Myanmar border, authorities in Mangshi, Yunnan province, said they would "build a steel wall" of border security.

Border personnel in Tibet also held a rally on Monday, pledging security and stability during the party congress.

 

[Hindustani78]

Written by Deeptiman Tiwary | Updated: September 30, 2017 8:00 am

Home Minister Rajnath Singh interacts with ITBP personnel at the border outpost in Mana, Uttarakhand on Friday. (Source: PTI Photo)

Speaking to ITBP personnel, Rajnath Singh said that the government was doing everything to make their work environment better and to provide them all necessary facilities.
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/no-need-for-confrontation-over-border-dispute-rajnath-singh/


Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that situations like Doklam would henceforth be sorted out through structured dialogue and a positive environment would be created to avoid confrontations. The Home Minister made the statement on the sidelines of an event at the ITBP border outpost at Mana, the last Indian village near the Sino-Indian border in Uttarakhand.

“There are perceptional differences between China and India over the border. All these things can be sorted out easily through a continuous, structural dialogue. If the two countries create a positive atmosphere and continue structured dialogue, there is no reason why the border problem can’t be solved with time,” Singh said.

Singh was answering questions over frequent standoffs and clashes between Indian and Chinese forces over border disputes. He responded to questions on the Doklam standoff and transgressions in the Barahoti area of Uttarakhand. “The Doklam standoff you saw was diffused with dialogue without any incidents. Similarly other disputes will also be sorted out. Seema vivad ko lekar kisi confrontational situation ki na zarurat hai na sambhavana (There is neither any need nor any possibility of confrontations over border dispute),” Singh said.

The Home Minister will visit the Rimkhim ITBP post close to the Barahoti area. On July 25, even as the Doklam standoff continued, transgression by Chinese PLA soldiers was reported in Barahoti. Last year, the Chinese also made an air transgression when their choppers came inside Indian territory and flew back after a survey.

Speaking to ITBP personnel, Singh said that the government was doing everything to make their work environment better and to provide them all necessary facilities.

When he learnt that about 1,600 promotions were effected recently in ITBP, he said, “It should be in thousands. I have always supported and pushed promotions as I have learnt that there is stagnation in the force.”

The force raised issues including GST on goods sold to personnel in the ITBP canteen. ITBP IG H S Goraya told Rajnath that goods in the canteen had become expensive as they were not getting the exemptions available earlier. The minister said he would look into the issue.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/635907/jaishankar-bhutan-amid-reports-fresh.html

Anirban Bhaumik, New Delhi, DH News Service, Oct 2 2017, 22:27 IST

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Monday reached Thimphu, amidst reports about Chinese People's Liberation Army deploying more troops near India-Bhutan-China trijunction boundary point weeks after the stand-off in Doklam Plateau ended. Picture courtesy Twitter


Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Monday reached Thimphu, amidst reports about Chinese People's Liberation Army deploying more troops near India-Bhutan-China trijunction boundary point weeks after the stand-off in Doklam Plateau ended.

Jaishankar will meet top officials of Bhutanese Government during his stay in Thimphu. He is unlikely to call on Foreign Minister Damcho Dorjee and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, sources told the DH in New Delhi.

Foreign Secretary's tour to Thimphu is the first public visit by a top official of Government of India to Bhutan after Doklam Plateau in the western region of Himalayan Kingdom turned into the scene of a 72-day-long stand-off between Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army.

Sudhakar Dalela, Joint Secretary (North) in the Ministry of External Affairs, is accompanying Foreign Secretary on his visit to Bhutan. Dalela heads the Ministry of External Affairs division that looks after India's relations with Nepal and Bhutan.

Foreign Secretary's visit to Bhutan comes at a time when reports indicated that although the stand-off in Doklam Plateau had ended on August 28, the Chinese People's Liberation Army had deployed more troops in the forward posts it maintained in the vicinity.

New Delhi, however, did not officially acknowledge that Foreign Secretary's visit had anything to do with Chinese PLA's activities near India-China-Bhutan tri-junction boundary points.

The Chinese PLA personnel also purportedly intruded into the territory claimed by Thimphu at three points along the disputed border between Bhutan and China, even when the stand-off in Doklam Plateau drew global attention.

Though China withdrew its troops from Doklam Plateau on August 28 to end the military stand-off with India, both New Delhi and Thimphu are worried over the PLA's move to deploy more troops in the vicinity and repeated intrusions into the territory claimed by Bhutan.

The issue is likely to be discussed when Foreign Secretary will call on Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Bhutan and meet top officials of Bhutanese Government, sources said.

Jaishankar, according to the sources, is also likely to discuss with senior officials of Bhutanese Government a proposal for a trilateral mechanism, involving representatives of India, China and Bhutan, to settle the tri-junction boundary point. New Delhi is keen to have a trilateral arrangement led by senior officials of India, China and Bhutan for settling the dispute over the tri-junction boundary point.

Apart from Bhutan, India and China share tri-junction boundary points with Myanmar and Nepal – at Diphu Pass and Lipulekh Pass respectively.

New Delhi and Beijing had in 2012 agreed that the tri-junction boundary points among India, China and third countries would be finalized in consultation with the third countries.

Thimphu is of late also worried about Beijing's dilly-dallying on scheduling the next round of negotiations to settle China-Bhutan boundary dispute. Bhutan and China in August 2016 held the 24th round of negotiations to resolve the boundary dispute between the two nations. Though the 25th round was to be held this year, Beijing so far showed no interest in scheduling it, prompting Thimphu to fear that China might suspend the negotiations and continue to occupy the territory of Bhutan bit by bit through low-profile incursions by the PLA troops, sources told the DH.

Beijing is upset with Thimphu as Bhutan's position during the stand-off in Doklam Plateau was in sync with India's.

The Chinese PLA personnel had come to Doklam Plateau – a disputed territory on Bhutan-China border – on June 16 and started building a road, brushing off protests by Royal Bhutan Army soldiers camping nearby. The Indian Army personnel from nearby Doka La post in Sikkim had intervened two days later, leading to the stand-off.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/636064/top-generals-receive-briefing-doklam.html

Kalyan Ray, DH News Service, New Delhi, Oct 3 2017, 21:51 IST

The Commanders of Indian Army are expected to be briefed on the troop build up in the Sikkim sector in the wake of the Doklam crisis at the Army commanders conference beginning here on October 9. DH file photo

The Commanders of Indian Army are expected to be briefed on the troop buildup in the Sikkim sector in the wake of the Doklam crisis at the Army commanders conference beginning here on October 9.

The week-long conference, sources said, would be having sessions in which presentation on the Doklam crisis and follow-up action would be given to the heads of the seven Army commands and the principal staff officers at the Army headquarters.

There may also be discussions on the long-term military options if the troop build-up needs to be continued for a prolonged period.

China's People's Liberation Army personnel had come to Doklam Plateau – a disputed territory in Bhutan – on June 16 and started building a road, ignoring the protests by Royal Bhutan Army soldiers. The Indian Army personnel from nearby Doka La post in Sikkim had intervened two days later, leading to the stand-off that continued for 72 days.

In August, Indian Army increased its troop presence along the entire Line of Actual Control in the eastern sector. Later it also moved tanks and other equipment near the northern border.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Tuesday met Bhutan Foreign Minister Damcho Dorjee and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, amidst reports of the troop buildup, sources said.

Though China withdrew its troops from Doklam Plateau on August 28 to end the military stand-off, both New Delhi and Thimphu are keeping a close eye on the PLA's move to deploy more troops in the vicinity and repeated intrusions into the territory claimed by Bhutan. The issue, sources said, was discussed in the meetings that Jaishankar had Bhutanese officials.

The Army commanders conference has nearly 30 other agenda points including slow pace of modernisation, non-availability of small arms to the infantry troops and discrepancy in the salary following the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat would address the Army commanders conference.

 

[Hindustani78]

NEW DELHI: , October 04, 2017 12:28 IST
Updated: October 04, 2017 12:28 IST
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...s-of-bhutan-china-tension/article19795581.ece
Jaishankar’s visit came in the backdrop of reports that China is amassing troops near Bhutan’s Doklam plateau and other areas.
Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar met with Bhutan’s king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk on Tuesday and will hold several meetings on Wednesday with officials in Thumphu, officials have confirmed.

Mr. Jaishankar’s visit came in the backdrop of reports that China is amassing troops near Bhutan’s Doklam plateau and other areas, barely a month after a standoff with India ended at the Doklam plateau.

Reports suggested that Chinese troops entered disputed zones of Bhutan-China border in a few places over the last week. During the Doklam crisis, Bhutan had maintained a cautious position indicating that it would allow diplomacy to take its course in the tricky border issue. During the visit, Mr Jaishankar is likely to hold talks with Foreign Minister Damcho Dorjee and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.

The visit is the first by the Indian Foreign Secretary following the resolution of the last round of tension between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam where a 72-day standoff ended on August 28. Bilateral ties between India and China are not yet normal as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China did not invite representatives of the Indian army for the annual border personnel meeting (BPM) to mark the Chinese National Day on October 1.

China did not attend a similar meeting to mark the Independence Day celebrations on August 15 as it was overshadowed by the Doklam standoff.

A mechanism to discuss issues between China, Bhutan and India are also likely to be discussed during Mr. Jaishankar’s visit. Bhutan and China met for the 24th round of the bilateral border discussion in August 2016, but a similar meeting has not been held so far though Chinese diplomats based in Delhi have visited the kingdom on several occasions earlier this year.

**********

Worry remains: Kupup in Sikkim, the closest point to the Doklam plateau. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/china-puts-more-boots-at-doklam/article19797642.ece

Conclave of Indian Army Commanders next week to discuss military preparedness
A conclave of Army Commanders next week is set to discuss military preparedness along the China border, amid indications that the Chinese may have beefed up their presence near the Doklam standoff site since the disengagement more than a month ago.

According to sources in the Indian security establishment, the Chinese have 1,500 to 1,700 troops of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) stationed a few hundred metres afrom the standoff site on their side.

New bunkers found
In the locality, Indian surveillance has also detected new bunkers. The sources said road construction stores that were moved to the area during the Doklam standoff also remain in the area, and some road re-laying has been done on the Chinese side not very far from the standoff point.

At least a couple of official sources admitted that they were uncomfortable about the Chinese presence and activities on the plateau. “It is not status quo ante,” an official said. “Ideally, they should withdraw the troops and equipment,” he said.

Defence Ministry officials here claimed that there were only some 300 Chinese soldiers in the area. “There has been no change in the levels (of deployment) since the end of the standoff. Since then, the Chinese troops have only pulled back 300-400 metres,” a senior Army officer said.

The nearest PLA base is at Yatung which has a battalion headquarters with at least 600 soldiers, and is 12-13 km away.

Tanks deployed
Meanwhile, Army sources confirmed that the biannual Army Commanders conference, scheduled to be held from October 9 to 14, would be discussing the Chinese posturing and military preparedness along the border.

The Indian Army has carried out its own readjustments in the India-China-Bhutan trijunction, with forward deployment of T-72 tanks and BrahMos missiles among other equipment.

The two Armies were engaged in a standoff at Doklam near the trijunction since June 16 after Indian soldiers prevented the Chinese from building a road in the disputed territory. After prolonged diplomatic negotiations, the two sides announced disengagement on August 28 ending the 73-day standoff.

Officials said the present posturing by the PLA could be in the context of the crucial Chinese Communist Party Congress scheduled in two weeks. “It is more of a messaging by the PLA for the party. They may pull back after that,” the MoD official said.

“They would not want to wait till winter. It will be difficult to sustain for them,” the official added.

 

[Hindustani78]

Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa. | Photo Credit: PT

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...s-air-chief/article19801489.ece?homepage=true

NEW DELHI, October 05, 2017 14:43 IST
Updated: October 05, 2017 17:04 IST

Chances of two-front war low but IAF can face any threats despite shortage of fighter jets, he says.

In a first formal statement from the military leadership after the disengagement at Doklam, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa on Thursday said Chinese troops were still present in the area.

“Their [China] forces in Chumbi Valley are still deployed and I expect that they will withdraw when their summer exercise gets over,” he said at the annual press conference ahead of the Air Force Day on October 8.

China, he said, held military exercises every year in summer and so their forces were closeby when the Doklam standoff happened.

The Air Chief said the possibility of a two-front war remains low but the Indian Air Force has adequate capability to tackle threats despite a shortage of fighter jets.

“Possibility of a two-front war in the current geopolitical situation is low. Our response should be based on enemy's capability because intentions can change overnight,” he said.

With Pakistan the IAF was more than matched while with China it was adequate. “It is not what China has got, it is what they can project against us. It is what they can bring in to Tibet... our capability is adequate.”

Plan B
Despite a shortage of fighter jets, the service had plan B to optimise the existing resources and was adequate to tackle any threats. “By 2032, we will reach 42 squadrons. With whatever numbers we have, we are capable of executing operations as we speak,” he said.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sitharaman-to-visit-sikkim-today/article19814317.ece

Nirmala Sitharaman checks out a MiG 29 at the Air Force Station Jamnagar in Gujarat on Friday.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sitharaman-to-visit-sikkim-today/article19814317.ece


Defence Minister’s visit to northeast comes amid reports of increased Chinese presence in Doklam


Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is to begin a crucial tour of the northeast on Saturday, even as as the Opposition Congress launched an aggressive attack on the Narendra Modi government over its handling of the border situation with China.

According to MoD officials, Ms. Sitharaman will begin her tour of military installations in Sikkim on Saturday and move to Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday, The Minister will be briefed on the latest situation along the border, including the Chinese movements on the Doklam plateau, sources said.

Though the Doklam standoff ended on August 28, it has emerged over the last few days that the Chinese military presence in the disputed area continues with several hundred soldiers, construction stores, and new bunkers. This presence is just a few hundred meters away from where the two sides faced-off for over two months, starting June 16, when Indian troops stopped the Chinese from constructing a road.

Military sources have also confirmed that the Chinese have been carrying out relaying and widening of a road not very far from the stand off point.

Cong. concerns

Meanwhile, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday asked the Prime Minister to explain how China managed to widen an existing motorable road in Doklam.

“Modiji, once you’re done thumping your chest, could you please explain this?” Gandhi wrote on Twitter, posting a news report about an ongoing Chinese road expansion in Doklam.

Congress spokesperson Kapil Sibal said Chinese have again established themselves on Doklam plateau. “You [the PM] had said this matter was over. The Chinese have increased their strength in the Chicken Neck area,” Mr. Sibal pointed out.

He said the Prime Minister kept saying that his meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping went off very well. “But the Chinese are once again building road, not just that 500 to 1000 soldiers are deployed in the area. Are you once again going to call President Xi Jinping to sit on the swing near Sabarmati?” Mr. Sibal asked.

Meanwhile, Army sources said they have kept the PMO and other branches of the government updated about the ground situation in the area. “Right now the situation is not critical but it has to be seen if they withdraw after the party congress,” MOD sources said.

However, officials expressed confidence that a pullback would take place.

“The mobility on their side is much better than on our side. So it does not matter how close they are to the border. Their biggest problem in coming months is the weather. They will have to withdraw soon,” one of the officials said.

 

[Hindustani78]

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
08-October, 2017 16:29 IST
Defence Minister Reviews Operational Preparedness in The Northeast

Defence Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, arrived at Tezpur today as part of her maiden visit to the Eastern Command as Defence Minister. The Minister who was accompanied by Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lt Gen Sarath Chand and GOC-in-C Eastern Command Lt Gen Abhay Krishna was received at Tezpur Airforce Station by GOC Gajraj Corps Lt Gen AS Bedi and other senior dignitaries of the Army and the Air Force. The visit which is part of her familiarisation with all the formations of the Indian Army & the Indian Air Force (IAF) comes close on the heels of her visit to Northern Command recently and her visit to Sikkim yesterday.

At the outset, the Defence Minister extended her good wishes to the Air Warriors on the occasion of 85th Air Force Day anniversary as she interacted with them at the strategically important Eastern airbase of Tezpur. She also reviewed the operational readiness of the airbase, seeing the Sukhoi fighter aircraft & other IAF assets at first-hand.

Thereafter, Smt Sitharaman visited the Gajraj Corps HQ where she was briefed by GOC Gajraj Corps Lt Gen AS Bedi on the overall security situation in Assam and the Kameng Sector of Arunachal Pradesh and the operational preparedness of the Corps. The Minister reiterated the Government’s resolve to give further impetus to development in the border areas.

The Defence Minister subsequently visited Solmara Military Station, Tezpur where she interacted with the officers & jawans over a cup of tea. She appreciated the high standards of military discipline and preparedness of the army men and their excellent performance in the difficult terrain and challenging environment in which they are operating. Smt Sitharaman further praised them for their steadfast commitment and their high morale in facing the diverse challenges thrown up by the dynamic security environment. She exhorted the troops to continue with the same zeal and sense of pride and honour showing due respect to Human Rights. She expressed satisfaction at the level of preparedness of the forces and extended her greetings to the troops for a happy Diwali before her departure for Delhi.

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