Thursday, October 18, 2012

India of 2012 different from 1962: Antony

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.

2 comments:

  1. 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.

    The 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...

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  2. 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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