News Analysis India

Tag: India China Border Clash

  • India wants friendly relations with neighbours but not at cost of national security: Rajnath Singh

    By Express News Service

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India wants to maintain friendly relations with all its neighbours but not at the cost of the country’s national security, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said.

    He was inaugurating the 90th Sivagiri pilgrimage at Varkala near here on Friday. The Defence Minister’s remarks assume significance in the wake of India’s recent border skirmishes with China in the country’s northeast.

    “We can change our friends, but not our neighbours,” Rajnath reminded, quoting former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to stress the importance of maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries.

    “However, there will be no compromise on our national security,” he asserted. Rajnath said India’s soldiers were fiercely guarding the country’s borders by following the ideals of spiritual leaders like Sree Narayana Guru. 

    Rajnath said that while he was defending the country’s ‘body’ as a Defence Minister, spiritual leaders including those in Sivagiri, were defending the country’s ‘soul’. “A country can survive only if its body and soul are safe,” he said. Rajanth also assured that works relating to the Union government’s Rs 17 crore worth projects for the development of Sivagiri will be expedited.

    Union Minister for State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said Sree Narayana Guru’s teachings based on Vedas and Upanishads disprove the propaganda of people with narrow interests that his ideals were not connected with ‘sanatana dharma’ (Hinduism).  He also blamed the state government for violence, evil practices and increasing consumption of alcohol and narcotic substances in the state known as the land of Sree Narayana Guru.

    Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust president Sree Narayana Dharmasangham Trust president Swami Satchidananda presided over the function. The pilgrimage to Sivagiri, the final resting place of renowned spiritual leader and social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, is held every year for three days from December 30 to January 1.

    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: India wants to maintain friendly relations with all its neighbours but not at the cost of the country’s national security, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said.

    He was inaugurating the 90th Sivagiri pilgrimage at Varkala near here on Friday. The Defence Minister’s remarks assume significance in the wake of India’s recent border skirmishes with China in the country’s northeast.

    “We can change our friends, but not our neighbours,” Rajnath reminded, quoting former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to stress the importance of maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries.

    “However, there will be no compromise on our national security,” he asserted. Rajnath said India’s soldiers were fiercely guarding the country’s borders by following the ideals of spiritual leaders like Sree Narayana Guru. 

    Rajnath said that while he was defending the country’s ‘body’ as a Defence Minister, spiritual leaders including those in Sivagiri, were defending the country’s ‘soul’. “A country can survive only if its body and soul are safe,” he said. Rajanth also assured that works relating to the Union government’s Rs 17 crore worth projects for the development of Sivagiri will be expedited.

    Union Minister for State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said Sree Narayana Guru’s teachings based on Vedas and Upanishads disprove the propaganda of people with narrow interests that his ideals were not connected with ‘sanatana dharma’ (Hinduism).  He also blamed the state government for violence, evil practices and increasing consumption of alcohol and narcotic substances in the state known as the land of Sree Narayana Guru.

    Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust president Sree Narayana Dharmasangham Trust president Swami Satchidananda presided over the function. The pilgrimage to Sivagiri, the final resting place of renowned spiritual leader and social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, is held every year for three days from December 30 to January 1.

  • Opposition walks out of Rajya Sabha over demand for debate on Chinese border attack

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The entire opposition led by the Congress on Wednesday staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after their demand for a discussion on the Chinese aggression on the border was disallowed.

    Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the opposition parties wanted a debate to get full information on the Chinese aggression and encroachment on Indian territory, and that they stand by the Army and the country.

    But Deputy Chairman Harivansh said there was no notice before the Chair and a debate cannot be allowed on the issue.

    Opposition MPs shouted slogans for some time before staging a walkout. Those who walked out included MPs of Congress, Left, TMC, NCP, RJD, SP, JMM, and Shiv Sena.

    Earlier Kharge said opposition parties want a “detailed discussion in the House” on the Chinese aggression and encroachment at borders.

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in his statement on the clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Tawang sector hasn’t informed of the actual situation on the border.

    “Our effort from the start has been that we get full information and the country is also informed of what the actual situation there is,” he said, adding there was some information that China has built bridges on vacant land.

    Harivansh said there is no notice given by any of the opposition parties on the issue.

    “There is no permission for discussion,” he said, and called for taking up the listed zero-hour submissions.

    Kharge continued to speak but his mike was switched off.

    “We are for the country. We are with the army,” he said.

    Thereafter, the opposition MPs started raising slogans.

    The Deputy Chairman said he had on Tuesday stated that clarifications on Defence Minister’s statements were not allowed as it was a sensitive issue.

    Not satisfied, the opposition MPs staged a walkout.

    NEW DELHI: The entire opposition led by the Congress on Wednesday staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha after their demand for a discussion on the Chinese aggression on the border was disallowed.

    Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the opposition parties wanted a debate to get full information on the Chinese aggression and encroachment on Indian territory, and that they stand by the Army and the country.

    But Deputy Chairman Harivansh said there was no notice before the Chair and a debate cannot be allowed on the issue.

    Opposition MPs shouted slogans for some time before staging a walkout. Those who walked out included MPs of Congress, Left, TMC, NCP, RJD, SP, JMM, and Shiv Sena.

    Earlier Kharge said opposition parties want a “detailed discussion in the House” on the Chinese aggression and encroachment at borders.

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in his statement on the clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Tawang sector hasn’t informed of the actual situation on the border.

    “Our effort from the start has been that we get full information and the country is also informed of what the actual situation there is,” he said, adding there was some information that China has built bridges on vacant land.

    Harivansh said there is no notice given by any of the opposition parties on the issue.

    “There is no permission for discussion,” he said, and called for taking up the listed zero-hour submissions.

    Kharge continued to speak but his mike was switched off.

    “We are for the country. We are with the army,” he said.

    Thereafter, the opposition MPs started raising slogans.

    The Deputy Chairman said he had on Tuesday stated that clarifications on Defence Minister’s statements were not allowed as it was a sensitive issue.

    Not satisfied, the opposition MPs staged a walkout.

  • India blames China of trying to alter ‘status quo’, Beijing downplays Arunachal border clash

    By Online Desk

    The tumultuous Sino-India border has witnessed a new border clash between the Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army.

    The Indian army on Monday revealed that both troops clashed near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along the Arunachal Pradesh border in the Tawang sector, leaving at least six Indian soldiers injured.  

    The tussle arose, on Dec. 09, 2022, after Chinese troops converged near the LAC prompting Indian troops to contest the action in a “resolute” manner.   Indian media reports quoted unnamed sources as saying that the incident involved around 300 members of China’s People’s Liberation Army and that China suffered a greater number of injuries.

    WATCH:

    The latest border tussle comes at a time when the bilateral ties between the nuclear giants are at rock bottom in the aftermath of the Galwan Valley clash, in June 2020, leaving at least 20 Indian soldiers and four PLA troops killed.

    China and India fought a full-scale war in 1962 over control of Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims in its entirety and considers part of Tibet.

    What does India say?

    India has accused China of trying to “unilaterally change the status quo” on their disputed Himalayan border last week when clashes left troops on both sides injured.

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed the parliament that Indian and Chinese troops engaged in the fresh confrontation on December 9 in Arunachal Pradesh.

    “On 09 December 2022, PLA troops attempted to unilaterally change the status quo by encroaching on the Line of Actual Control, in the Yangtse area of the Tawang sector,” Singh said, referring to China’s People’s Liberation Army and the de-facto border.

    The face-off, which followed recent joint US-India military exercises near the border that angered Beijing, led to “injuries to soldiers on both sides,” Singh added.

    “A scuffle ensued in this face-off. The Indian Army bravely prevented the PLA from encroaching on our territory and forced them to withdraw to their posts. Some soldiers from both sides were injured in the skirmish.”

    What does China say?

    In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that he believed the situation was now calm but gave no details of what happened or whether Chinese troops were injured.

    “As far as we understand, the China-India border situation is stable overall,” Wang said, adding the two sides “maintained unobstructed dialogue on the border issue through diplomatic and military channels.”

    He added: “It is hoped that the Indian side will advance in the same direction as China, earnestly implement the important consensus reached by both leaders, strictly abide by the spirit of the agreements and accords signed by both sides, (and) together uphold the peace and tranquillity of the China-India border region.”

    US-India exercises

    Since the deadly hand-to-hand battle in 2020, both sides have sent thousands of troops to bolster the border. Multiple rounds of talks have failed to substantially ease tensions. The army source said there was another “face-off” between Indian and Chinese troops in the last week of November in the Demchok region of Ladakh, further to the north.

    It was unclear if there were any injuries resulting from that incident, which was the first since September 2020. The army source said that there has been increased activity in Ladakh by the Chinese military, as well as a “possible” airspace violation by the Chinese air force in the same area.

    This follows joint military exercises which irked Beijing last month between India and the United States in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, which borders China. The Chinese soldiers also displayed a banner objecting to the Indo-US military exercises, the source said.

    Undefined border

    China and India fought a war in 1962 over their long and disputed border. The exact path of the border, some of which is more than 4,000 metres (13,100 feet) above sea level, has never been demarcated.

    Winter temperatures can plunge below minus 30 Celsius (minus 22 Fahrenheit), cracking gun barrels and seizing up machinery.

    Even before the June 2020 clash, India was moving strategically closer to the West, deepening security cooperation with the United States, Japan and Australia in the Asia-Pacific region.

    United by their concern about China’s increasing influence in the region, together they make up the so-called Quad alliance.

    India has also embarked on a $130-billion modernisation of its armed forces — including ordering attack helicopters from the United States and a missile defence system from Russia.

    In the aftermath of the 2020 clash, India banned hundreds of mobile applications of Chinese origin, including the popular social media platform TikTok. Chinese firms operating in India, including cellphone makers Xiaomi and Huawei, have been raided by the tax authorities.

    Bilateral trade remains brisk, however, at around $100 billion per year, but India imports from China far more than it exports there.

    (With inputs from PTI, AFP)

    The tumultuous Sino-India border has witnessed a new border clash between the Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army.

    The Indian army on Monday revealed that both troops clashed near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along the Arunachal Pradesh border in the Tawang sector, leaving at least six Indian soldiers injured.  

    The tussle arose, on Dec. 09, 2022, after Chinese troops converged near the LAC prompting Indian troops to contest the action in a “resolute” manner.   Indian media reports quoted unnamed sources as saying that the incident involved around 300 members of China’s People’s Liberation Army and that China suffered a greater number of injuries.

    WATCH:

    The latest border tussle comes at a time when the bilateral ties between the nuclear giants are at rock bottom in the aftermath of the Galwan Valley clash, in June 2020, leaving at least 20 Indian soldiers and four PLA troops killed.

    China and India fought a full-scale war in 1962 over control of Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims in its entirety and considers part of Tibet.

    What does India say?

    India has accused China of trying to “unilaterally change the status quo” on their disputed Himalayan border last week when clashes left troops on both sides injured.

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed the parliament that Indian and Chinese troops engaged in the fresh confrontation on December 9 in Arunachal Pradesh.

    “On 09 December 2022, PLA troops attempted to unilaterally change the status quo by encroaching on the Line of Actual Control, in the Yangtse area of the Tawang sector,” Singh said, referring to China’s People’s Liberation Army and the de-facto border.

    The face-off, which followed recent joint US-India military exercises near the border that angered Beijing, led to “injuries to soldiers on both sides,” Singh added.

    “A scuffle ensued in this face-off. The Indian Army bravely prevented the PLA from encroaching on our territory and forced them to withdraw to their posts. Some soldiers from both sides were injured in the skirmish.”

    What does China say?

    In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that he believed the situation was now calm but gave no details of what happened or whether Chinese troops were injured.

    “As far as we understand, the China-India border situation is stable overall,” Wang said, adding the two sides “maintained unobstructed dialogue on the border issue through diplomatic and military channels.”

    He added: “It is hoped that the Indian side will advance in the same direction as China, earnestly implement the important consensus reached by both leaders, strictly abide by the spirit of the agreements and accords signed by both sides, (and) together uphold the peace and tranquillity of the China-India border region.”

    US-India exercises

    Since the deadly hand-to-hand battle in 2020, both sides have sent thousands of troops to bolster the border. Multiple rounds of talks have failed to substantially ease tensions. The army source said there was another “face-off” between Indian and Chinese troops in the last week of November in the Demchok region of Ladakh, further to the north.

    It was unclear if there were any injuries resulting from that incident, which was the first since September 2020. The army source said that there has been increased activity in Ladakh by the Chinese military, as well as a “possible” airspace violation by the Chinese air force in the same area.

    This follows joint military exercises which irked Beijing last month between India and the United States in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, which borders China. The Chinese soldiers also displayed a banner objecting to the Indo-US military exercises, the source said.

    Undefined border

    China and India fought a war in 1962 over their long and disputed border. The exact path of the border, some of which is more than 4,000 metres (13,100 feet) above sea level, has never been demarcated.

    Winter temperatures can plunge below minus 30 Celsius (minus 22 Fahrenheit), cracking gun barrels and seizing up machinery.

    Even before the June 2020 clash, India was moving strategically closer to the West, deepening security cooperation with the United States, Japan and Australia in the Asia-Pacific region.

    United by their concern about China’s increasing influence in the region, together they make up the so-called Quad alliance.

    India has also embarked on a $130-billion modernisation of its armed forces — including ordering attack helicopters from the United States and a missile defence system from Russia.

    In the aftermath of the 2020 clash, India banned hundreds of mobile applications of Chinese origin, including the popular social media platform TikTok. Chinese firms operating in India, including cellphone makers Xiaomi and Huawei, have been raided by the tax authorities.

    Bilateral trade remains brisk, however, at around $100 billion per year, but India imports from China far more than it exports there.

    (With inputs from PTI, AFP)

  • Indo-China border clash: China says situation ‘stable’ on Arunachal border

    By AFP

    BEIJING: China said the situation was “stable” Tuesday on its border with India after New Delhi reported a fresh stand-off between the two countries’ militaries on their disputed Himalayan frontier last week.

    The incident is thought to be the most serious on the nuclear-armed Asian giants’ disputed frontier since 2020 when 20 Indian troops and four Chinese soldiers died in brawling.

    An Indian source said the December 9 incident, which followed recent joint US-India military exercises near the border, led to “minor injuries to (a) few personnel from both sides.”

    Chinese soldiers came close to the area near the Line of Actual Control — the de facto border — where it had been agreed that neither side would patrol, the sources added.

    But foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin did not comment on the alleged clash Tuesday, telling reporters “as far as we understand, the China-India border situation is stable overall.”

    “Both sides have throughout maintained unobstructed dialogue on the border issue through diplomatic and military channels, it is hoped that the Indian side will advance in the same direction as China,” he added.

    Beijing urged New Delhi to “earnestly implement the important consensus reached by both leaders, strictly abide by the spirit of the agreements and accords signed by both sides, together uphold the peace and tranquillity of the China-India border region.”

    Indian media reports quoted unnamed sources as saying that the incident involved around 300 members of China’s People’s Liberation Army and that China suffered a greater number of injuries — claims Beijing has not commented on.

    A request for comment to China’s Ministry of National Defense by AFP went unanswered Tuesday.

    Relations have been at rock bottom between the two countries since clashes in 2020.

    ALSO READ | Indian Army prevented Chinese attempts to change status quo in Arunachal

    BEIJING: China said the situation was “stable” Tuesday on its border with India after New Delhi reported a fresh stand-off between the two countries’ militaries on their disputed Himalayan frontier last week.

    The incident is thought to be the most serious on the nuclear-armed Asian giants’ disputed frontier since 2020 when 20 Indian troops and four Chinese soldiers died in brawling.

    An Indian source said the December 9 incident, which followed recent joint US-India military exercises near the border, led to “minor injuries to (a) few personnel from both sides.”

    Chinese soldiers came close to the area near the Line of Actual Control — the de facto border — where it had been agreed that neither side would patrol, the sources added.

    But foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin did not comment on the alleged clash Tuesday, telling reporters “as far as we understand, the China-India border situation is stable overall.”

    “Both sides have throughout maintained unobstructed dialogue on the border issue through diplomatic and military channels, it is hoped that the Indian side will advance in the same direction as China,” he added.

    Beijing urged New Delhi to “earnestly implement the important consensus reached by both leaders, strictly abide by the spirit of the agreements and accords signed by both sides, together uphold the peace and tranquillity of the China-India border region.”

    Indian media reports quoted unnamed sources as saying that the incident involved around 300 members of China’s People’s Liberation Army and that China suffered a greater number of injuries — claims Beijing has not commented on.

    A request for comment to China’s Ministry of National Defense by AFP went unanswered Tuesday.

    Relations have been at rock bottom between the two countries since clashes in 2020.

    ALSO READ | Indian Army prevented Chinese attempts to change status quo in Arunachal