News Analysis India

Tag: Tawang

  • India, China troops engage in fresh stand-off at Arunachal’s Tawang; PLA men detained temporarily

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a brief face-off at LAC near Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh last week. While it lasted for a few hours, Indian Army troops reportedly detained a few PLA soldiers. 

    Confirming the incident, a source said, “The troops of the Indian Army and the PLA happened to meet at LAC last week where a physical engagement took place. No damages were reported on either side. 

    The situation was finally resolved according to the established protocol as agreed by both sides.

    The face-off comes weeks after the incident at Barahoti in Uttarakhand in August when PLA troops crossed over to LAC on the Indian side on horses and remained there for a few hours before leaving. 

    The New Indian Express had earlier reported that there has been a continuing standoff in Eastern Ladakh where around 60000 troops are deployed along the LAC. Stand-offs at Hot Spring, Despang and Demochok still persist. Disengagement of troops along with their tanks, artillery and heavy vehicles has taken place from Galwan, Gogra and North and South banks of Pangong tso.

    Last year, physical scuffle took place Naku La pass area in Sikkim and Kalapani area which were resolved through dialogue between the local commanders of the two sides. 

    “The India and China border has not been formally demarcated and hence there is a differing perception of the LAC. Both sides undertake patrolling activities up to their line of perception,” the source quoted above said.

     The length of LAC is 3488 kms, as per the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is divided into three sectors of Eastern, Central and Western Sector. China has been claiming Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as its territory. It has been staking claims on some other areas which India has maintained to be its land.

  • Forgotten hero who brought Tawang under Indian Union to be honoured

    By PTI
    TAWANG: Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing, who was instrumental in bringing Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh under the Indian Union, will be honoured for the first time on Sunday here in presence of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, two chief ministers, a central minister and a governor.

    As an assistant political officer of the erstwhile North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and present-day Arunachal Pradesh, Khathing had carried out an audacious operation to bring Tawang under the Indian Union in the early 1950s under the direct supervision of the then Assam governor Jairamdas Daulatram.

    Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brigadier (Retd) B D Mishra and General Rawat arrived here this afternoon to attend the foundation stone laying ceremony of Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing Memorial at Kalawangpo auditorium.

    “Khathing was one of the most significant heroes of India whose immense contribution cannot be forgotten. A due recognition will be given to Khathing, who was so far neglected,” Rijiju told PTI.

    Khathing’s son John, a retired IRS officer, and other family members will also be present at the function.

    Khathing, who was a Naga from Manipur, was given order by Daulatram to march towards Tawang with 200 soldiers of Assam Rifles and 600 porters on January 17, 1951.

    Before World War II, Tawang was under the administrative control of the then independent Tibetan government.

    Despite several attempts, the British could not annex it.

    According to historical accounts of the NEFA, when Khathing and his men arrived in Tawang, he called a meeting on a high-ground near the Tawang Monastery for meeting local tax officials, village elders and prominent people of Tawang.

    He used diplomatic skills to win over the locals.

    He soon realised that the local Monpa community was struggling under the harsh taxes imposed by the Tibetan administration.

    He told the local people about India, its democracy and assured them that India will never impose unjustified tax on them.

    Soon, with the Assam Rifles men, Khathing took control of Tawang, tricolour was hoisted in Tawang and Bumla and the area became part of India.

  • Alertness levels very high, China can’t surprise us, says ITBP on LAC in Tawang sector

    Having already given a bloody nose to the People’s Liberation Army troops in Eastern Ladakh during face-offs in the ongoing conflict, the ITBP in the sensitive Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh says its men were on a high readiness mode on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Chinese won’t be able to spring any surprises in this sector.

    In a visit to the forward posts on the LAC from where the Chinese territory could be seen in the Tawang sector, Team ANI witnessed the high preparedness levels of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troops and the infrastructure developed for rapid forward deployments here in recent times.

    “When incidents (transgression by Chinese Army in Eastern Ladakh) like this happen, we have to remain on high alert mode so that such unforeseen incidents are not allowed to happen and there are no surprises. As you can see that though there are extreme cold conditions which make things difficult, our men are on a very high alert and keeping an eye on the border all the time,” ITBP’s 55 battalion commander Commandant I B Jha told ANI at a forward location here.

    The ITBP has played an important role in the ongoing conflict with Chinese troops with both LAC in eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. In the initial violent confrontation, the ITBP was confronted several times with Chinese troops while attempting to transition to Pangong Lake, the Finger area, and the patrolling points at 14,15, 17 and 17A.

    Showing the patrolling carried out by ITBP soldiers in that area, Commandant Jha said that the infrastructure development by the Indian side over the years now allows Indian troops to move too close to the last point or zero point on the LAC. . Tawang Sector.