To counter China's aggression, India steps up troop deployment along Tibetan border

To counter China’s rising aggression along the Indian border near Tibetan region, India has deployed more troops and increased patrolling in the mountainous terrains of Dibang, Dau-Delai and Lohit valleys in Arunachal sector.

The move was taken in the wake of the Doklam standoff, the most tensed military confrontations between India and China in decades.

“Post Doklam, we have increased our deployment of troops while focusing on all the strategically important areas including a tri-junction among India, China and Myanmar,” PTI quoted an Army officer posted in Kibithu, the easternmost village on India’s border with China’s Tibetan region as saying.

Not just that, India is also strengthening its surveillance mechanism to keep an eye on the activities of the Chinese military that often tries to sortie into the Indian side of the border.

“India has been focusing on dominating the treacherous terrains which include snow-clad mountains at an altitude of over 17,000 feet, and river passes, as part of a strategy to counter China’s rising assertiveness along the border in Dibang, Dau-Delai and Lohit valleys,” the military officials said.

Army has been enhancing its Long Range Patrols (LRPs) where troops in small groups go for patrols for 15-30 days as part of an overall approach to maintain the sanctity of the Line of Actual Control, the de-facto border between India and China, they said.

The development comes days after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s remark on March 25 that India is “alert and ready for any unforeseen situation” in Doklam.

”We are alert and ready for any unforeseen situation in Doklam... we are constantly working on the modernisation of our forces and will maintain our territorial integrity,” Sitharaman said.

The defence minister had also said that China has undertaken construction of helipads, sentry posts and trenches for its army personnel near Doklam.

China has been laying new roads and improving its overall infrastructure along the nearly 4,000 km-long border with India.

Sources said China has been keeping its troops in north Doklam and significantly ramping up its infrastructure in the disputed area.

In January, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat had said the time had come for India to shift its focus from borders with Pakistan to the frontier with China, indicating the seriousness of the situation.

(With inputs from agencies)