New Delhi: At a time when 20 Indian soldiers died while preventing Chinese incursions in eastern Ladakh, government records state that as many as 1,025 incursions and transgressions incidents took place along the India-China border during 2016-18.
However, no incidents of casualty have been reported in those incidents.
The government records said that 273 incidents of incursion and transgressions took place in 2016, 426 such incidents took place in 2017 and 326 incidents were attempted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2018 along the 3,488 km long India-China border.
Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik has also discussed the matter in the previous sessions of the Parliament.
Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Union Territory of Ladakh share their boundary with China.
"There is no commonly delineated Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Border areas between India and China and there are areas along the LAC where both sides have different perceptions of LAC," said Naik.
He admitted that due to both sides undertaking patrolling up to their respective perception of the LAC "transgressions do occur."
"Government is taking measures to ensure that defence forces remain in a state of readiness to meet operational and security challenges," said Naik.
It must be noted that the Government of India keeps raising such an issue at the highest level with China.
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"Efforts to arrive at a mutually agreed framework for a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement based on political parameters and guiding principles agreed by two sides in 2005 remains the issue of discussion when leaders of both the sides meet each other," a government official said.
(Retd) Major General SP Sinha Speaking exclusively with ETV Bharat, Major General SP Sinha, VSM said that these incidents (incursions) are a part of the grand strategy of China.
"China believes in expansion policy. China believes in two-step forward and one step backward policy. For example, when we detect that China grabs 10 km of our land, we raise hue and cry. Under pressure China steps five kilometres back just to again grab that five kilometres later..." said Major General Sinha.
China is also adopting the strategy of 'salami-slicing'. Through this salami-slicing strategy, they try to grab inch by inch land or kilometre by kilometre land of its neighbours.
"After Xi Jinping became the President of China he has a grand vision of creating China a superpower. This design of China enabled them to make claims in other countries also," said Sinha.
Interestingly, China shares a geographical territory of 26 countries and out of which 14 countries do not have any boundary.
"The incursions that took place in the Indian soil from 2016-18, is an example of China's expansionist policy," said Major General Sinha.
China tries to become superpower number one in Asia and it finds India as the only opponent. "Except India, no other country in Asia, dare to challenge China...so they are doing these mischiefs," said Major General Sinha.
He lauded the stand of the government in tackling China's incursion strategy.
"We have mobilised three divisions in eastern Ladakh. We have also mobilised 72 T90 tanks. Government has also initiated steps to complete 73 strategic roads that were conceived in 1990. It is believed that 61 of 73 strategic roads will be completed by 2021...In 72 hours Army engineers made a Bailey bridge on Galwan river...all such actions taken by the Indian government has bothered China," Major General Sinha added.
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