This Article is From Nov 06, 2015

Chinese Incursions, Face-offs at Border Dropped Sharply This Year

Chinese incursions and face-offs between Indian border forces and their Chinese counterparts are down 40 per cent this year.

A top source told NDTV that incidents like face- offs, transgressions and incursions by the Chinese People's Liberation Army - stood at about 300 in 2015, compared to 500 such incidents last year.

"With winter setting in, we expect the trend to hold," the officer said. For about a decade, such incidents had been steadily increasing along the nearly 3500 km border, considered sensitive but peaceful.

In April 2013, there was a month long face- off when the Chinese army occupied areas of Depsang valley - in South Eastern Ladakh - after India tried to build bunkers in Chumar, nearly 250 km from there.

Aggressive patrolling along the border by the Indo- Tibetan Border Police and the Indian Army is seen as one of the reasons for the drop. "There are more boots on the ground and quicker and firm response by ITBP and Indian Army to any attempted transgression," the officer said.

In a major break from the past, the ITBP recently demolished a Chinese watch tower in Burtse in North East Ladakh. India claimed the tower was being built in its territory.

Apart from the aggressive posture on the ground, diplomatic engagement and plain speaking on the border issue is said to have contributed to this calm along the border.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met Chinese Premier Xi Jingping on five occasions which includes two bilateral visits. Besides, National Security Advisor and India's Special Representative for Border Talks, Ajit Doval, is understood to have told his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in no uncertain terms that India will not accept China occupying Indian territory.

 

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