New Delhi, October 18: Two days before the 50th
anniversary of the 1962 India-China War, Defence Minister AK Antony on Thursday
joined the ranks of the top brass of the Indian Armed Forces in assuring the
country that the country was “capable” of defending itself.
Antony is the senior most in the Indian defence
establishment on Thursday made it clear that even though the infrastructure in
the North East left a lot to be desired, India of 2012 was not same as the
India of 1962.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Naval Commanders’
Conference, Antony said: “Infrastructure in the North-east is not up to our satisfaction
but it has improved a lot as compared to the past...India of 2012 is not India
of that period. We are now capable of defending every inch of our country.”
Earlier this month on October 5, Air Chief Marshal NAK
Browne had said that during 1962 it was a mistake to keep away the Indian Air
Force (IAF) from the action and added: “There will be no such limitation this
time. The IAF will play a leading role not just against that or any other
sector but anywhere." Prior to him, Indian Army Chief General Bikram Singh
had said: “I am assuring the nation as the Army chief that 1962 will not be
repeated... No way. We have plans in place on all borders to safeguard our
country's territorial integrity.''
The Indian defence establishment was against developing
infrastructure in the mountainous terrain along the Indo-China border as it
will make Chinese progression into the Indian Territory impossible. However,
this myth was broken after 1962 when the Chinese troops came deep inside and Indian
troops suffered humiliating defeat at their hands.
Since 1962 China has been occupying nearly 38,000 sq kms of
land in Jammu and Kashmir and under the “so called China-Pakistan ‘Boundary
Agreement’ of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq kms of Indian territory
in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China”.
“Earlier India had not focussed on enhancing infrastructure
in northeastern states. But, now we have moved very fast. Now our infrastructure
assets and manpower have substantially improved compared to the past,” the
Defence Minister said.
“On the one side we are strengthening our capability in the border
on the other side we have established a border management mechanism with china
that is now functioning satisfactorily,” he added.
India and China share unresolved dispute over border.
According to Indian establishment, in the eastern sector, China illegally
claims approximately 90,000 sq. km. of Indian Territory in the State of
Arunachal Pradesh. China has been building up infrastructure in the border
areas and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) at a feverish pitch and has managed
to bring road and railway tracks right up to the border. But the Indian
infrastructure development like road construction and raising of new mountain strike
corps are progressing at a snail pace.
The IAS class has not changed. Thus the lack of infrastructure in the north east, the total non compliance of military's requests for build up of rail, road and other networks vis a vis chinese build up or for that, even vis a vis pakistan.
ReplyDeleteThe sickness that made India undergo the 62 humiliation still persists otherwise how come India's tank amunation in stock was only for a week as per records? or how come india does not have a basic trainer for the IAF for now almost 20 years though the need was fore sighted more than 30 years ago and the IAF has since then put in many requests.
How come the shortage of officers continue and even increase? How come policies that made the Army inferior to the chinese then, continue even today and thus make Indian armed forces scarce of officers...maybe the anser lies in non implementaion of military right , the OROP.
Nothing has changed...
things have changed but not enough @Rustom is correct in many ways but a lot requires to be done let us say fast introduction of Agni V in large numbers just look how paki's (capital letter intentionally omitted)are keeping us at bay with their borrowed nuclear arsenal. let us support Tibetan freedom movement both overtly and covertly. Remove the Babu's, start a democratic propaganda and like during British days boycott chinese goods (capital letter intentionally omitted)and Madam you start supporting the the defence forces cause just see how popular your blog becomes and changes in the Armed forces.
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