Incidents at Border with China Will Continue to Happen: Indian Army Chief

Although efforts are being made to calm border tensions, reports suggest fresh military assets deployment by India and China along the disputed 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC). While China reportedly deployed the S-400 air defence missile system near Arunachal Pradesh, India has beefed up its presence in several border areas.

Amid reports of new "incursions" by China in the middle sector of the LAC, Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said that the country's armed forces are prepared to meet any misadventure that may occur along the border.

Naravane, speaking at a function in Delhi on Thursday, underlined that incidents along the LAC have amplified the operational challenges.

"As far as another neighbour [China] is concerned we have border issues; we are prepared to meet any misadventure that may occur. Such things will occur as long as the boundary is not settled, that is the long-term effort," Army Chief General Naravane underlined, adding unprecedented developments have forced army to mobilise additional military assets in Ladakh region.

The statement has come days after over 100 Chinese troops reportedly crossed into the Indian territory in Barahoti, in the state of Uttarakhand, a region which has so far been relatively free of border tensions.

The Indian army has deployed more sophisticated artillery to the LAC with China in Eastern Ladakh. Based on military sources, the media report said that three M777 howitzer regiments had been deployed in the region. China's foreign ministry on Wednesday blamed India for ongoing tensions in the region.

"The Indian side has long pursued the "forward policy" and illegally crossed the LAC to encroach on China's territory, which is the root cause of tension in the China-India border situation. China opposes any arms race in the disputed border areas for the purpose of competition over control."

Hua Chunying

Spokesperson, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The latest surveillance and Indian intelligence reports show that the People's Liberation Army has built new modular container-based accommodations for its soldiers at eight forward locations, namely, Wahab Zilga, Hot Springs, Changa La, Tashigong, Manza and Churup along the LAC.

Imagery of an under construction #China PLA helicopter base in #AksaiChin, first reported in May 2020, shows considerable progress onsite, observations include ongoing work at the runway, shelters & allied support buildings pic.twitter.com/Q4FAaat1o8

— d-atis☠️ (@detresfa_) September 11, 2021

Moreover, China has reportedly deployed S-400 air missile defence systems at Hotan airbase in Xinjiang and Nyingchi airbase in Tibet.

Army chief General Naravane also admitted that the Indian armed forces faced challenges because of COVID and the operational situation. "Developments along the LAC in eastern Ladakh added to the ongoing legacy challenges (border dispute) along our western and eastern borders," he said.

The border stand-off between the two militaries escalated in June 2020 when 20 Indian soldiers and four PLA troops were killed in a violent clash in the Galwan Valley. The two sides have been talking at multiple levels to disengage from the stand-off areas in Eastern Ladakh.