Big bully: Smaller countries are unable to take on an aggressive China.

G Parthasarathy
Chancellor, Jammu central university, & former high commissioner to Pakistan

The ASEAN Summit in Bangkok posed new economic and strategic challenges for India. The challenges posed by China, from the days India sought ASEAN membership, continue. Chinese opposition to India’s admission, and then to ensure that India remained marginalised in ASEAN, failed. India soon secured membership as a full-dialogue partner of the then fast growing economies of ASEAN. Virtually all members have found Indian participation constructive. Within a few years, an assertive China resorted to coercion to enforce its untenable maritime border claims. Beijing often militarily seized, or threatened to seize, small islands within the maritime frontiers of neighbouring countries, including ASEAN members.

China has resorted to such aggressive behaviour with South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. It has ignored the provisions of international law by disregarding the adverse verdict of the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, after it seized an island belonging to the Philippines. It is presently deploying warships on the southern shores of Vietnam. China has successfully coerced, or brought around, virtually all ASEAN members with whom it shares maritime borders, except Vietnam and Indonesia. Even Malaysia’s PM, Mahathir, who loudly echoes Pakistan’s views on J&K, acknowledges that China is too powerful to be challenged by his country.

India rightly backs the collective views of ASEAN on regional issues. But given their fears of China, many members remain silent on its aggression. India is, however, quite clear about its views on international maritime issues, stating categorically that the UN Convention on Law of the Seas determines boundaries. As an example, India cites the case of its maritime borders with Bangladesh, where it respected the ruling of an international tribunal to hand over a disputed island to Bangladesh. Japan and India are on the same page on the issue.

These differences between a hegemonic China and India are bound to continue. China has become unusually aggressive with India on a number of issues after the scrapping of Article 370. China had taken the position that the J&K issue has to be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan, ever since the visit of then Chinese President Jiang Zemin to Pakistan and India in 1996. The Chinese position changed drastically when Beijing went out of its way to back Pakistan’s stand in international forums. India has retaliated by publicly referring to the disputed border area of Aksai Chin as a part of the UT of Ladakh. Interestingly, this claim, which was supported by the Buddhist majority of Ladakh, caused consternation there.

There are sound economic reasons for India’s reservations to join the proposed Regional Asian Free Trade Agreement during the Bangkok summit without credible safeguards. India’s trade deficit with China is around $59 billion. The deficit with South Korea grew from $5 billion to $12 billion last year. Likewise, over the past decade, India’s trade deficit with ASEAN has increased from virtually nil to $14 billion. We are justified in finding fault with China’s mercantilist practices. We cannot, however, deny the reality that the growth of our exports has been dismal, and we are losing our competitive edge all across our eastern neighbourhood. Our textile industry is unable to compete with textile exports of Bangladesh and Vietnam. The government has still to enunciate any clear export promotion strategy to deal with this malady.

We are now moving ahead more successfully to balance Chinese power across our Indo-Pacific neighbourhood. Maritime cooperation is being increased with the US, Japan, Australia, France and a number of ASEAN countries, notably Vietnam and Indonesia. During the Bangkok summit, a number of ASEAN members were keen on finding ways to ensure that India remained actively involved in the region diplomatically, economically and militarily. New Delhi will now have to more actively take measures to ensure that the country becomes more competitive economically in the region and globally too.

India has used conventional measures like trade, investment and cultural exchanges for promoting friendship in its Act East policies. It has, however, ignored using the most significant asset it has, to promote its ties not just with ASEAN, but with others like Japan and South Korea. We have overlooked our immense tourism potential. India is not perceived as ‘tourism friendly’. We have ignored the spiritual strength of shared beliefs in Buddhism, to welcome Buddhist pilgrims and visitors from our eastern neighbourhood. There are 460 million Buddhists across and beyond our eastern land and maritime frontiers. The Buddhist population of China alone is estimated at around 244 million. Japan, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and others also have millions of Buddhists. Nepal should be given special place in this effort by including Lord Buddha’s birthplace Lumbini as an important destination.

We need to formulate a master plan on how to improve connectivity to a vast Buddhist tourism circuit across states like Bihar, UP, MP, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Ladakh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. This effort can best be taken forward if we give China, Japan and Thailand, apart from immediate neighbours like Myanmar and Sri Lanka, a role in promoting the effort. Japan, China and Thailand could be invited to invest in and develop this project. Spiritual ties and tourism should become an integral and important part of our Act East policies.

File photo of Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat. PTI

New Delhi, October 25

Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat on Friday described Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir as a “terrorist-controlled” part of the neighbouring country and sought to link it with Islamabad’s strident criticism of India’s decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

Speaking at an event, Gen Rawat also asserted that Gilgit-Baltistan and PoK have been under illegal occupation of Pakistan.

The Army Chief cautioned Pakistan not to resort to any “misadventure” against India, saying the Indian armed forces were fully ready to effectively check any such attempts.

“The territory (PoK) occupied by Pakistan is not controlled by the Pakistan establishment but it is controlled by terrorists. PoK is actually a terrorist-controlled part of Pakistan,” he said.

In his closing remarks at the Field Marshal KM Cariappa memorial lecture, the Army Chief also said that attempts are being made by Pakistani terrorists to disrupt resumption of normalcy in Kashmir after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 to withdraw special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

“We all have been concerned about Jammu and Kashmir and what has been happening there. Jammu and Kashmir has always been part of our great nation,” he said.

Gen. Rawat said that after signing of the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947 by Maharaja Hari Singh, there were mainly three issues—and only defence, foreign policy and communications, were under control of the Indian government.

“The Article 1 of the Constitution and within it there is a Section that clearly mentions that Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India. And, when we say Jammu and Kashmir, it is the complete state of J&K which includes PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan,” he said.

“Therefore, PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan become an occupied territory, a territory which has been illegally occupied buy our western neighbour,” he said.

The Army Chief said Pakistan has upped the ante against India after abrogation of Article 370 as PoK is controlled by terrorists.

In his address, he referred to the genesis of Article 370 and said when it brought in there with its sub-paragraph, “it was temporary in nature”.

“When we introduced it with the word temporary in it, there was no objection from Pakistan on Article 370. It has been amended twice, where the leadership of Jammu and Kashmir was designated as Sadar-e-Riyasat and later prime minister and then chief minister,” he added.

The Army Chief also made reference to the recent killing of apple traders in the Valley.

“Attempts are being made by these terrorists to disrupt resumption of normalcy in Kashmir post the abrogation. We have been seeing killing of apple traders, drivers from outside of the state, preventing shops from getting opened, and threatening schoolchildren from attending schools,” he said.

“All this narrative is coming from Pakistan and terrorists,” he added.

Rawat said the despite the disruptions, Indian forces with the government approach will achieve its mission of peace and development.

“We will succeed, it may take time, but there is light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

The Instrument of Accession is a legal document executed by Maharaja Hari Singh, ruler of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. PTI

PoK a terrorist-controlled part of Pakistan: Army chief

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New Delhi, November 13

Britain’s Prince Charles paid obeisance at Bangla Sahib Gurdwara here a day after the 550^th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nank Dev.

He also visited the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and was briefed about the early warning weather forecast system, especially on the prediction of cyclones.

IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said Prince Charles spent nearly 45 minutes at the IMD’s National Weather Forecasting Centre, which is the focal point during cyclones.

He was explained about how cyclones are predicted with the use of tools like radars, satellites and Doppler radar.

Mohapatra said the visiting dignitary also asked about cyclone ‘Bulbul’, which hit West Bengal early this week.

“We informed him that the IMD also provides weather warnings to neighbouring countries,” the IMD DG said.

Later, he also paid obeisance at Bangla Sahib Gurdwara here.

Prince Charles was escorted by members of the gurdwara. Following the tradition, he covered his head with a scarf and paid obeisance.

He was presented with a ‘kirpan’ by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

He also did ‘sewa’ and helped in preparing chapattis in the ‘langar’ or community kitchen area and interacted with the devotees.

Prince Charles, who arrived here on Wednesday, is on a two-day visit to India.

This is his 10^th official visit to the country. During the visit, he also met President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The focus of his visit would be on enduring the UK-India ties and shared global challenges such as sustainability and climate change. — PTI

Chandigarh, November 8

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has put on hold the dispensing away of services of the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Ex-servicemen’s Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) polyclinic in Chandigarh on the expiry of the contractual period.

Col KVPS Hundal (retd) had been engaged as the OIC of the polyclinic on a contractual basis for a period of 12 months from November 8, 2018, to November 7, 2019. A letter issued by the Station Headquarters, Chandimandir, on November 7, 2019, states that the extension of the tenure beyond November 7 has not been approved and his employment hence stands terminated.

In another letter issued the same day, the Station Headquarters has granted temporary appointment to another officer for a period of 89 days with effect from November 8, 2019. The board of officers for selection was held in May this year.

On November 7, a single bench of the High Court, comprising Justice Arun Monga, had ordered that status quo shall be maintained qua services of Colonel Hundal as on date a day prior to the last date of expiry of the contract.

He had moved the High Court on November 6, a day before the contract was to end. He has contended that the one-year term is extendable by another year and if there is nothing adverse against a person, a contractual employee cannot be replaced by another contractual employee. He also said he was not given any prior notice about the contract not being renewed, but issued the letter on the last day.

Further, in a letter written to the Station Headquarters today, he averred that despite the Station Headquarters and senior officers concerned being apprised of the High Court’s stay orders of November 7 the same day, two officers, along with several military police personnel, arrived at the polyclinic today and forcibly removed him from his office, which amounted to contempt of court.

Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 23

In a major organisational restructuring, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) will have two new command level formations, one for the western sector based at Chandigarh and the other for the eastern sector based at Guwahati.

The decision, along with accretion of new posts at the top level as part of the cadre review, was approved by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday.

Two new posts of Additional Director General (ADG), equivalent to a Lieutenant General in the Army, have been sanctioned to head the new commands.

A total of 60 new posts in Group-A Executive General Duty Cadre and two posts in Group-A Non-General Duty Cadre at various levels from Assistant Commandant to ADG for enhancing the supervisory staff have been approved.

According to sources, Western Command will control the Dehradun-based Northern Frontier comprising of Shimla, Dehradun and Bareilly sectors and the North-West Frontier, recently moved from Chandigarh to Leh that comprises Srinagar and Ladakh sectors.

Western Command is expected to have 25 battalions while Eastern Command will have 19 battalions.

The ADG posted at Force Headquarters, Delhi, will have 12 battalions and four specialist battalions under his command.

At present, the force is divided into five frontiers that report directly to the Force Headquarters, along with other training, logistic and administrative establishments, through an additional director general based in Delhi.

The ITBP has a total strength of 56 service battalions and four specialist battalions, out of which 32 are deployed in border guarding duties, 11 in internal security and eight in anti-naxal operations.

The cadre review calls for increasing the existing structure of Group-A posts from 1,147 to 1,207 posts. Besides the new posts of ADG, it includes 10 new posts each at the level of Inspector General (IG) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG), 13 posts of Commandant, 16 posts of Second-in-Command, nine of Deputy Commandant and two posts of Inspector General in the non-general duty cadre.

The first cadre review of the force was held in 1988 when its strength was increased to 27,298. The second cadre review was held in 2001 and the strength was increased to 32,386. The present strength of the force is 89,429.

Presently, the ITBP has one sanctioned post of Director General (DG), who is the head of the force and one post of ADG at Force HQs in New Delhi.

There are 10 posts of Inspector General. The post of DG and ADG is filled by officers of the Indian Police Service (IPS) on deputation. At the rank of IG, 50 per cent posts are filled by IPS officers whereas at the rank of DIG 80 per cent posts are filled by promotion of ITBP cadre officers.

LADY DEPUTY COMMANDANT SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN ITBP BY CONSTABLE:NO ACTION TILL DATE BY AUTHORITIES

Kartarpur, November 9

The opening of the Kartarpur corridor is an ointment on the wounds the people who witnessed bloodbath during the partition, former Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said on Saturday as he thanked the prime ministers of India and Pakistan for the historic move.

During his address at the inauguration ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor, Sidhu said no one can deny “my friend” Imran Khan’s contribution in making the opening of the corridor possible.

“Imran Khan has made history,” he said. 

Calling Khan the king of hearts, Sidhu said, “Sikandar (Alexander) had won the world with fear and you won the heart all over the world.”

Former Indian cricketer-turned-politician thanked the former Pakistani cricket captain for taking the bold step to build the Kartarpur corridor “without looking at gains or losses”. 

“Both sides of Punjab witnessed bloodbath during the partition. You and (Narendra) Modi have applied ointment on the wounds of the people (through this initiative),” he said.

Sidhu praised Khan in poetic verses for his friendship and leadership.

He said Khan is the first Pakistani prime minister who took this initiative selflessly.

“It is the first time since the partition that the boundaries have been dismantled. No one can deny my friend Imran Khan’s contribution. I thank Modi ji also for it,” he said.

He said the completion of the corridor within 10 months was nothing short of a miracle. It is like coming to heaven.

He also thanked Prime Minister Modi for realising the dream of the Sikh community.

“I am thanking Modi ji also, it doesn’t matter if we have political differences, doesn’t matter if my life is dedicated to the Gandhi family. I am sending a Munnabhai MBBS-style hug to you Modi sahab for this,” said Sidhu, referring to the popular Indian movie Munnabhai MBBS which had depicted the healing power of a hug.

Taking a swipe at those who had criticised him for hugging Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa during Khan’s swearing-in ceremony last August, he said the hug has worked.

He called for opening up the India-Pakistan border for trade, saying “Ye Dil maange more (This heart wants more).”  He said the border should be opened so that the people can have ‘makki ki roti’ in Punjab (India), eat biryani in Lahore and come back after doing trade there. — PTI

jay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 21

In what may change the military dynamics in north-eastern Ladakh, specifically Depsang Plains, a major bridge allowing movement of tanks was opened today.

A ‘class 70’ bridge, which can withstand up to 70 tonne weight, was inaugurated across the Shyok river by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. “Border area development is an integral part of our government’s plan and this bridge is a part of that strategy,” said Singh.

The ‘Colonel Chewang Rinchen Setu’, built by the Border Roads Organisation, connects Durbuk and Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), a 16,000-foot-high plateau 20 km short of the 18,726-foot-high Karakoram Pass that divides Ladakh and Xinjiang of China.

Over the past few years, India has added tanks to the long-stationed mechanised columns in eastern Ladakh, but due to lack of proper bridging, tanks had not moved to north-eastern Ladakh.

CODE OF CONDUCT!
WERE WE DOING IT WRONG ?
Maj Gen Lav Bikram Chand, VSM, Retd

Prelude

I saw a TV interview of Ex AG on social media (not sure if it has been aired on NewsX). The interview gave a feel of categorising all veterans as indisciplined lacking code of conduct and self discipline. It appeared that, these remarks were based upon a detailed
study by AHQ, that they found the cause and a remedy to bad conduct by veterans and thus have arrived at a well informed decision to spell out code of conduct.
Being a third generation fauji who grew up listening to the stories of valour of mynforefathers, their units and the men it shook me.
Having retired just about a year and a half back, it made me wonder what has changed in
this short span of time? Is my Army so weak that core values deteriorate so suddenly? If
not, then how / why did we senior officers miss the initial rot setting in?
My write up is covering the journey of most of my friends from birth in Army life to
Retirement and asking some questions.

—————

I was born in an Army (Defence) Family,
It was not my choice; was it God’s? May be!
Did He get his placement wrong?
I heard stories of valour, sacrifice of my father and forefathers in the battle, across continents!(or
unit legends for that matter)
Did I Hear them wrong?
My uncles and Brothers had a choice.
Most of them joined NDA, some joined IMA and a few OTA(S). There was no compulsion, they
had best education (premier schools preferred Fauji Children then) their hearts and mind drove
them to Military training institutions
Did their heart and mind mislead them?
I saw them come home during term breaks,
Proudly wearing their crested academy blazers.
In the streets they were looked upon with admiring gazes,
Despite excellent results in final board exams;
I too joined NDA, proudly wore the NDA Blazer.
Did I wear it wrong?

I was subjected to psychological evaluation in SSBs, they found me OK and balanced.
My DivOs, Platoon Commanders assessed me for OLQ (Officer Like Quality),
If found lacking relegation; separation from your original course was a means of realisation.
No one looked down upon them, they were given honorary and respectful ranks of Brigadiers,
Generals and some even field marshals by cadets.
Did they do it wrong? Did they(cadets) get the strength of unity wrong?
We joined the Paltans, our trial by fire was set in motion.
Ustads came in many forms- NCOs JCOs, Senior Subalterns, 2IC, CO, role model
Commanders, list is endless….
Did my Ustads do it wrong?
I married, had children, they saw what Insaw in my forefathers.
They appreciated what I had become. Many joined Fauj through career or marriage.
Did they see me wrong?
Now, as I complete or have completed; decades ago my Military Service, my code of conduct is

being doubted some questions arise-
Will I make the same choice in next life?

Will I tread the same path?
Will I be willing to go through the same trial by fire?
Will Intrust my ustads?
Will I willingly follow my Commander unquestioningly into danger and certain death?
Will I remain a role model for my Children and grandchildren?
The answer my friends is a Big Big YES!!!
So my Friend, as you publicly sow the seeds of doubt regarding my character that you moulded,
I rightfully have some questions too because since I belong to olive greens by birth and hold a
proud position in my family tree.
Were the celebrations of Year of Veteran a Farce?
Are the posts of ADGPI acknowledging the work of Veterans a TRP exercise?
Is the warm send off I get from the Chief in 129D South Block a Handshake that I can still feel
and visualise fake?
Despite the Fauj making me self reliant on second innings, I still look forward to shake hands
with my serving Faujis. Why is this umbilical cord defying laws of nature?
I now have reconnected with my school
friends (and they are our first true friends), can choose who to socialise with, why do I still, so
easily connect with any fauji?

I am financially secure, can stay in good hotels, don’t think twice while ordering wine while I dine
out. Why do I still feel at home in comparatively frugal Fauji messes? Why does the Fauji rum
give a different kick? You think it is free hospitality that I look for?
Is your assessment system not strong enough to weed out most of the unsuitable elements right
in the formative years of one’s career?
Is unit dastoor so weak that I have overnight, become indisciplined?
Was the wreath laid on my father’s body on behalf of My Chief a mark of respect acknowledging
his valour in WE II, 1971 ops (for that is the last war he participated in) a show? The respect
that he (father) gets as Founding Father of 66 Field (now Medium) Regiment a put on?
I am sure beyond any doubt that, the answer to all these is NO!!!
So, my brother in arms, how can you be so sure so as to make a Public Statement on
National TV doubting my very foundation and negatively, shaking it (trying to)?
I am ever obliged to Army – since Birth. They made me into who I am (Good Man not “A
Perfect Man”).

Army chief Rawat says 6-10 Pak soldiers killed in retaliatory firing

The video grab of a target destroyed in Indian Army firing in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in Neelam Valley on Sunday. PTI

New Delhi, DHNS