There have been two instances of Chinese transgressions in Arunachal Pradesh last month, Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home said on Friday even as a Su-30MKI frontline fighter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) landed at an upgraded Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) close to the Chinese border.
One incident occurred in Kibithu area in Anjaw district on July 22 and the second at Thangsa in Tawang district.
However, he clarified that they were only acts of transgression and were verified by the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
“We cannot term it as incursion, but transgression as the Chinese army just crossed the perceived area along the Line of Actual Control,” Mr. Rijiju told the media after inaugurating the ALG at Pasighat.
Stating that India is not competing with China or anyone by strengthening infrastructure, Mr. Rijiju said: “We will have to build robust infrastructure to strengthen our defence and whatever we do is because India is an emerging power with capability. So, IAF should have operational bases in all the bordering States.”
The Pasighat ALG is the fifth one to be operationalised in Arunachal Pradesh and can handle all kinds of aircraft. “The touchdown by a frontline fighter jet of the IAF at the ALG is a ‘historic first’ in the hilly State, which has several ALGs at varying altitudes,” the IAF said in a statement.
The Pasighat ALG is also to have a civil terminal to improve air connectivity with the rest of the country.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is in the process of setting up one and the construction is yet to commence.
The facility is expected to boost tourism.
The ALG which was originally a small strip that was partly paved was taken over by the IAF in February 2010. In the past it was utilised for air maintenance sorties and casualty evacuation by the IAF.
As part of increasing forward deployment capability and improving the balance with China, the IAF began activating several ALGs along the border with China. As part of that, the Defence Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh in June 2009, to upgrade eight ALGs in the State, including infrastructure development at an overall outlay of nearly Rs. 1,000 crore.
Two ALGs at Tuting and Tawang are expected to be ready by year-end, while the ALG at Vijaynagar would undertake reconstruction as soon as the road connectivity between Miao and Vijaynagar is restored, officials said.
Myanmar urged to act
Responding to questions on the north-east and continuing violence by banned outfits, Mr. Rijiju said the Home Ministry had taken a serious view of the recent terrorist attack in Kokrajhar. Steps were being taken to tackle the situation including deployment of additional forces.
“There are reports of some leaders of insurgent outfits from the north-east taking shelter in Myanmar. We are in constant talks with the government of that country, for taking action against them,” he added.
