Modi visits troops in Ladakh, Beijing says don’t escalate the situation - Broadsword by Ajai Shukla - Strategy. Economics. Defence.

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Friday 3 July 2020

Modi visits troops in Ladakh, Beijing says don’t escalate the situation


By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 4th July 20

Signalling a new government resolve in tackling multiple Chinese intrusions into Indian-claimed territory over the last two months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ladakh on Friday and addressed Indian troops there.

In his first visit to the Union Territory after 20 soldiers were killed on June 15 in a clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan River valley, Modi was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, and army chief General MM Naravane. He visited Indian troops who were in hospital, recovering from wounds sustained in that encounter.

Paying tribute to the jawans, Modi said Indians could go about their lives peacefully because they know the armed forces are protecting the nation. Because of their exemplary bravery in recent weeks, the world has taken note of India’s strength, he said.

“Our country has never bowed down and will never bow down to any world power, and I am able to say this because of braves like you,” said Modi. He said the soldiers came from all over India, but their bravery “now echoed in the mountains and valleys of Ladakh.”

Evoking the title of the Leh-based 14 Corps, which calls itself the “Fire and Fury Corps”, the PM said: “The enemies of India have seen the fire and fury of our soldiers.”

In a sharp message to Beijing, Modi stated: “The era of expansionism is over, this is now an era of development and open competition. In the last century, there are many examples of countries that had adopted an expansionist attitude and threatened world peace... [but] history is witness that they were wiped out or forced to retreat.”

Making it clear that India would not capitulate to China for the sake of peace, he said: “Bravery and courage are the underlying principles for creating peace… We know the weak can never enforce peace.”

Modi cited the examples of Lord Krishna, who India prayed to in his flute-playing avatar as well as his Sudarshan Chakra wielding one.

Addressing the troops at the Nimu headquarters, in the lap of the Zanskar Range, Modi said he had furthered India’s security readiness by ensuring availability of modern weaponry. On Thursday evening, just before his visit to Ladakh the government had approved purchase of weapons and equipment worth Rs 39,800 crores.

The PM pointed out the government had expanded India’s network of border roads by raising the border infrastructure budget threefold.

He listed out many achievements of the NDA government including creation of the post of CDS, constructing a “grand National War Memorial,” implementing the principle of One Rank, One Pension and ensuring the well-being of families of military personnel.

Soon after the PM’s speech, Beijing sought to calm the atmosphere. Responding to a question on Modi’s comments, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian stated: “India and China are in communication and [there are on-going] negotiations on lowering the temperatures through military and diplomatic channels. No party should engage in any action that may escalate the situation at this point.”

Asked about Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari’s announcement that Chinese companies would not be allowed to build highways in India, Zhao stated: “Certain politicians in India have been issuing remarks that are detrimental to our bilateral relations recently… We will take necessary measures to uphold the legitimate rights of Chinese businesses in India.”

Striking a conciliatory tone, the spokesperson said: “India and China are major developing countries and accelerating renewal and development are important missions for us. We have to respect and support each other [and] follow the consensus reached between the leaders of our two countries… The Indian side should not have strategic miscalculation on China.” 

7 comments:

  1. "Making it clear that India would not capitulate to China for the sake of peace ..." - Well, India has capitulated by all accounts already by ModiRaj's "gifting" of the strategic Galwan Valley to China now, and the message of the PM Modi is clear that India is not going to start a military campaign to evict PLA from there. It reminds me of an observation by the former US General Maxwell Taylor in the aftermath of the 1962 war, that India had handed over its impregnable defences by Himalyan passes when the Chinese attacked and took possession. "The era of expansionism is over,.." - compare this to the message given by ex FM Pranab Mukherjee in the era of MMS when he told his Chinese counterpart that "the days of Hitler are over". Modi pales in that light - Modi has difficulty to pronounce Hitler. China has grabbed Galwan without firing a shot, to say the least. "Striking a conciliatory tone.." - of course, China will need time now to consolidate its hold on Galwan. And do not forget, that in no uncertain terms, the Chinese spokesman (Minister?) has advised India "not to miscalculate" as reported in international news channel. Indira Gandhi went to Galwan in 1962 and cheered up the soldiers to fight on the Chinese - what a contrast!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. China's forward march continues,we are, as usual self created hapless people engaged in platitudes for face saving.

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  2. Sankar ur eardrums will be ruptured with the sound of one gun shot

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  3. Scylla & Charybdis4 July 2020 at 15:34

    Has Col (Retd) Ajai Sinha come under pressure ?
    Is India & China choreographing a token pullback by China in return for India dropping any claim to Aksai Chin so that CPEC can go through?

    ReplyDelete
  4. NSR says ---

    The filth and flea infested vermin and mongrel chinese captures the Indian lands in a sneak, criminal, and depraved way...
    And then, its FM and spokesmen keep talking about the consensus reached by its leaders...

    It is exactly turning into a Doklam II where it intrudes and builds roads, fortifications, bunkers, living quarters, etc and gets India into a stalemate...
    People say India won... no china won Indian territory here..

    Now china will win more Indian territory in Ladakh area...

    Time to go to action and evict the invaders and give them a very bloody and proper nose...

    India and its citizens must rmemeber one important thing...China settled all of its border disputes with USSR, Vietnam, and Myanmar after a very bloody nose...

    Shedding blood and lives in defense of motherland is the highest form of sacrifice anyone can do...

    So start the eviction of chinese from all of the recent past occupations ...

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  5. "Chinese intrusions into Indian-claimed territory" Indian claimed is such self defeating mindset, and that is huge problem. We have Chinese govt making exaggerated border claims then adopting a capture, build, settle theme again and again for decades whereas we are even shy to say what our govt position is since sixties!!

    Why don't in our media we sat Tibet as Chinese claimed/occupied land?

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  6. To the Unknown who said my eardrums will be "ruptured".:

    Not sure how to address this in the absence of substantiation - it is just attacking by insults, shows the upbringing of this poster. But let me add one more point: Indira Gandhi went to the front in Ladakh sometime in 1962 against the advice of the Indian Security as the war front was a danger zone, what will happen if she fell in the hands of PLA etc. And she went there without the escort of the Chief of the Army or other high ranking defense officials, in contrast to the present PM Modi accompanied by the Army Chief and the CDS which to my understanding is just photo-opportunity. It is recorded in history that the then PM Nehru had said something as to who could stop Indira if she decides it as she is "fearless". China never dared to make a military move against India when Indira Gandhi was at the helm as the PM. It reminds me of one statement of the economist Amartya Sen (NL) after Modi was elected, that Modi will be a disaster for India. This serious development has proved, that China has called Modi's bluff in the international world. This grabbing of Galwan is a "surgical strike" on Indian sovereignty without "striking"!

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