Development of villages along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on India-China border can be seen as yet another step of India’s preparedness against China in the ongoing border row.
India’s first response reflected in the steely resolve shown in the hand-to-hand Galwan clash in June 2020, leaving many soldiers from both sides dead. The second response was full-time troop deployment along the LAC, a first for India. All weather barracks and winter habitats became a common feature on the Indian side to check and control the Chinese advances in the border areas.
Troop deployment can’t be a standalone development unless it is met with supporting infrastructure. China, on its side, has carried out massive infrastructure development in military installations such as connecting roads, tunnels, rail terminals, helipads, and air bases. India, although has been a late entrant on this front, is now pushing in fund, willingness and resources to create a robust infrastructure on its side to meet the challenge.
Development of villages or civilian infrastructure completes the score for India to compete against a similar move by China. India has identified 2,967 villages in 19 border districts of Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh to develop as model villages under its ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ (VVP) to answer China’s rush to increase human settlements dominated by the Han Chinese population in an area that is supposed to have Tibetan origin people in Tibetan Autonomous Region in the first place. 2026 is the deadline to develop these villages.
THE OBJECTIVE
Border villages serve the purpose of extending a country’s territorial claim. A series of well-populated border villages presents a solid argument in border negotiations. The differences between India and China here are about the origin. While most of the villages on China’s side are ‘created ones’, India has planned to reinforce the existing ones only.
On China’s side, it is migration of the Han Chinese people in border villages in a Tibetan area in key strategic positions. Tibet and Xinjiang are considered two different countries forcefully occupied by China with their original natives considered as secondary citizens. There is no such issue in India.
Situated on key strategic locations, these border villages work as permanent watch posts and create a buffer area.
The villages are also significant for consolidating border security with their dual use nature. They can be converted into military installations and garrisons. They can also be used for extended troop deployments. Troops can also use these villages as a build-up area for incursions and border clashes.
XIAOKANG BORDER DEFENCE VILLAGES
China has developed 628 border villages along the LAC to target India. Developed as Xiaokang human settlements, which means moderately well-off, these villages are well built in infrastructure facilities to support military operations.
According to the South China Morning Post, these 628 villages are in 21 Himalayan border counties along the LAC. Having 62,160 households and 241,835 residents, the villages, equipped with modern facilities, can double up as military’s operational bases when seen in connection with China’s ramped up military infrastructure in the border areas with networks of roads, rail terminals, tunnels, helipads, and air base terminals quickly dotting the place. These 21 border counties are located between Nyingchi in southeast Tibet opposite Arunachal Pradesh to Ngari Prefecture bordering Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
The December 2020 report says China kept aside $4.6 billion to develop infrastructure of these villages. Development of most of these villages were complete by October 2020, says a Xinhua report.
DIRECT THREAT
According to the media reports from India, US and Australia, China has created a Xiaokang village in Pangda area, in Chumbi Valley, on the west bank of the Torsa River. The village violates Bhutan’s sovereignty, being located 2.5 km inside Bhutanese border, although Bhutan denies it. The village is just 9 km from the Doklam Plateau. The area saw 72-day long stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops in 2017.
The Chinese grip over the area with a village that can double up as military base means a direct threat to the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the ‘chicken’s neck’, the connecting link to India’s north-eastern area. The corridor, a 170×60 km land stretch, borders Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Just 50 km wide at places and 20-22 km at its narrowest point, a Chinese control of the corridor means India’s entire north-eastern part is cut off. China is also reportedly developing military facilities just 50 km from the Doklam stand-off area.
The ‘Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China – 2021’ published by the United States Department of Defence says China has built new civilian facilities in a village inside the disputed territory between Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh. The village is located on the banks of the River Tsari Chu, in Upper Subansiri district. India is aware of the existence of the village. It was built by the PLA in an area that it occupied after overrunning an Assam Rifles post in August 1959 in Longju clash.
China has created 628 such villages along the LAC between 2017 and 2020. There are reports indicating that the country used one such nearby village to amass 300 PLA soldiers to transgress the LAC at Yangtse in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, 2022. India was on alert and China failed in its attempt. The violent hand-to-hand combat left many soldiers injured.
INDIA FAST-TRACKS BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE
India is rapidly building infrastructure along the LAC to reduce the existing gap with China, say top sources from the defence establishment. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in February, released a list of India’s projects on border development along the LAC. With 6800+ Km of roads since 2014, covering many strategic areas, 16 key passes to maintain troops, bridges with a length of 22,439 meter since 2014, and soon to be opened Sela Tunnel, India seems on a rapid mission mode. Sela Tunnel will be the world’s longest bi-lane tunnel located at a height of more than 13,000 feet and will provide all-weather connectivity to the Indian Army near Tawang.
Of the planned development of 2,967 existing villages, 662 villages in 11 districts will be covered in the first phase. 455 of these villages are in Arunachal Pradesh. The government will begin with initial expenditure of $584 million in developing these villages. A major portion of the expenditure, or about $300 million, is expected to be on developing road connectivity with all-weather roads.
Another objective of the government of India is to incentivise people of the area to remain in these villages and not to migrate for livelihood options. For it, sustainable facilities on education and health, round-the-clock electricity, potable drinking water, good mobile and internet connectivity and better livelihood options will be also developed on priority. Once connected with ramped up infrastructure in border areas, these Indian villages with Indian people will be an answer to China’s Xiaokang border defence villages whenever the situation demands.
They will be India’s permanent watch posts to watch China’s moves along the LAC.
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