Naturally, the people have a right to be assured that the country’s defence forces are capable of defending our borders against the two threats – from the west and the north. The threat from the north is undoubtedly far greater. Through the centuries, the Himalayas have been the most formidable natural barrier for India against external aggression. But the 1962 Chinese aggression proved that it was no longer so. The need was felt to strengthen our northern defences in every way possible – from deployment and use of forces in every contingency to better communication facilities and all-weather roads all along the Sino-Indian border, particularly, in Arunachal Pradesh.

It is a pity that even after the 1962 war, while China embarked on a massive logistic build-up against India in Tibet, India continued to underestimate and downplay the threat from the north and precious little was done to reduce the defence asymmetry between the two countries. However, as China’s belligerence and minatory postures intensified during the last few years, the UPA II Government was forced to sit up and take note of the mounting danger. It decided to raise a Mountain Strike Corps (MSC) with two divisions and an independent armoured brigade with supporting branches. The total strength of the corps would be ninety thousand men and the estimated cost for its raising Rs. 64,000 crore. It was to be based at Panagarh in West Bengal. It was also decided to undertake construction of border roads and lay railway tracks in Arunachal Pradesh on a priority basis.

When the NDA Government came to power last year, it was hoped that the pace of our defence preparations in the north would be accelerated. Unfortunately, the contrary has happened. Immediately after coming to power the Centre decided to ‘review’ the entire MSC project. It has since been decided to reduce the strength of the MSC from ninety thousand to thirty-five thousand. No explanation for this has been given.

Meanwhile, the recent report of the parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has brought out some alarming facts. It says that in a conflict situation while the Chinese would be able to reach the Arunachal border in two to three hours, the Indian army would take ‘more than a day’ to reach the battle zone. Why? Because construction of border roads has been neglected. The Committee noted: “…in Tawang area, the situation is very critical so far as connectivity is concerned. In case of war, the Army cannot reach there (Tawang) in a day. While our neighbouring countries can reach borders within two to three hours.”

The Committee criticized the Government’s decision to raise the MSC by utilizing ‘War Wastage Reserves (WWR) because war reserves are not to be touched but kept solely for replenishing wastages during a war. It noted that there are already ‘serious shortages in current WWR’ and therefore it cannot be further ‘milked’ to create new assets like the MSC.

The critical inadequacy in border road building is brought out by the fact that as high 82 per cent work on construction of 73 strategic roads along the Sino-Indian border, approved as far back as 2006-07, still remains unfinished. Arunachal is now totally vulnerable to a Chinese attack. Before we are able to transport our troops to Tawang, much of Arunachal Pradesh – may be under Chinese occupation.

While India is yet to build the planned 1,352 kms of railway lines in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, China has already brought its railway lines right up to the border, close to Sikkim and Niyangchi in Arunachal Pradesh. It has completed a railway line connecting the Tibetan capital of Lhasa to Shigatze, close to Nathua La in Sikkim.

Indeed, China is relentlessly pursuing its programme of making offensive preparations in Tibet facing Arunachal Pradesh. According to a People’s Daily report, China is going to set up three new unmanned radars in Tibet in addition to the one already existing, to strengthen its air surveillance in the Himalayan frontier. Recently it has developed its heaviest attack and reconnaissance drone Caihong 5. It is designed to carry out reconnaissance, surveillance, targeting, intelligence gathering electronic warfare, border patrol, island defence and anti-terrorism missions. China knows that in case of an armed conflict with India, battles may have to be fought on the soil of Tibet. It is already taking measures to pre-empt such an Indian offensive. But can we defend Tawang and Arunachal Pradesh against a sudden Chinese blitzkrieg? (IPA Service)