Russian balancing act in South Asia

The changing geo-political equations in the Indian sub-continent have left Russia in a flux seeking to have a strategic balance between India and Pakistan. Even as its soldiers are in Pakistan for their maiden joint military drill, Russia on Monday supported India’s surgical strikes by contending that every country has a right to defend itself.

Russia’s Ambassador to New Delhi Alexander M Kadakin on Monday welcomed the surgical strikes conducted by India on the intervening night of September 28-29.

“Greatest human rights violations take place when terrorists attack military installations and attack peaceful civilians in India. We welcome the surgical strike. Every country has right to defend itself,” the Russian Embassy quoted Kadakin to have told an Indian news channel.

India has restrained from officially commenting on the war games between its arch rival Pakistan and arch patron Russia. The only saving grace for New Delhi was that Moscow cancelled the last leg of the military exercise "Friendship-2016" planned in the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The Russian Envoy tried to ally India’s discomfort at the growing proximity between Islamabad and Moscow. “India should not be concerned about military exercises between Russia and Pakistan because the theme of the exercise is anti-terror fighting. That's in India’s interests that we teach Pakistani army not to use itself for terror attacks against India. And the exercise was not held in any sensitive or problematic territories like Pakistan-occupied Indian state of Jammu", said the Russian Ambassador. The exercise is being seen a response to the deepening of defence cooperation between India and the US.

The latest statement emanating from Russia has been one of the series of statements issued earlier Moscow condemning the Uri attacks and asking Pakistan to make more efforts to rein in the terrorists in its territory.

With India seeking to diversify its defence supply has been purchasing military hardware from the US and European countries; Pakistan has tried to woo Russia and has expressed interest in buying Sukhoi fighter jets. 

 

1962 will not be repeated: General Bikram Singh

When reminded that it has been the 50th year since Indo-China war, the Army Chief on Wednesday assured the country that a repeat of 1962 will not be allowed to happen again.

Officers from Indian and Chinese Army at the Nathu La border during Indian Independence Day celebrations this year

“No it will not happen,” General Singh said categorically when asked if 50 years after the humiliating defeat at the hands of the Chinese Army, Indian Army was better prepared. “Dushman ko apne watan ke bheetar ghusane nahi denge (We will not allow enemy to enter our country),” he added firmly.

The Army Chief asserted that the Indian Army was augmenting its capabilities but it is not country specific. “I am assuring the nation as Chief of Army Staff that 1962 will not be repeated,” the Army Chief said when reminded that next month is the 60th anniversary of the war. “That's the assurance I am giving. Plans are afoot on all borders,” he said.

Asked about the presence of Chinese soldiers in the POK region, he accepted that there was information which suggested their presence, but he said: “We are told they are there to give protections to some of the Chinese projects. Some railway, roads and hydel projects are underway and Chinese soldiers are giving them protection. But we have conveyed our concern to them.”

Chinese Defence Minister Gen Liang Guanglie had said earlier this month during his visit to India that Peoples Liberation Army never deployed its troops in POK.

China illegally claims 90,000 sq km land in Arunachal: Antony

A day before Chinese Defence Minister lands in the national capital, Defence Minister AK Antony laid bare the facts about infrastructure development and “illegal” territorial claims of Beijing along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

 

Assuring the Parliament that the Defence Ministry was seized of the matter, Antony said that China’s claim on north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh is illegal. “In the eastern sector, China illegally claims approximately 90,000 sq. km. of Indian territory in the State of Arunachal Pradesh,” Antony told the Parliament in a written reply. Earlier this year, China had refused visa to an Indian Air Force officer hailing from the state much to the chagrin of the South Block.

Besides this, the Defence Minister said that 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”.

India shares nearly 3,300 km of dispute boundary with China and both the countries had briefly fought a bloody war with each other in 1962. However, peace overtures in the recent years increased comfort between the two neighbors to a level where they could conduct joint military exercises. The bilateral defence ties were suspended in 2010 when China refused to give visa to an Indian Army commander posted in Kashmir.

The Defence Minister also informed the Parliament that India was monitoring the infrastructure development along the border and in PoK and has asked China to cease such activities. “Government is aware of the infrastructure development by China at the border and their undertaking infrastructure projects in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Government has conveyed its concerns to China about their activities in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and asked them to cease such activities,” the Defence Minister said.

It is after eight years that a Chinese Defence Minister is coming to India. General Liang Guanglie will land in Delhi on Tuesday fresh from his visit to Sri Lanka, where Beijing has been taking a keen interest in developing ports much to the discomfort of India.

While the territorial border dispute is yet to reach any conclusion soon, both the sides will discuss resuming of joint military exercises. The two neighbours had their first bilateral exercise in 2007, when Indian Army troops visited Kunming in China.