GUWAHATI: The Indian defense forces have raised the level of readiness and alertness to monitor Chinese activities in the “six disputed areas” and the “four sensitive areas” in the 1962 theater of war in Arunachal Pradesh.
“Four of the disputed areas are in Asapila, Longzu, Bisa and Majha in Upper Subansiri District where the Chinese PLA has already built a highway through Bisa from one point in LAC to another, ”said a defense source.
“China claims the entire Asapila sector as its territory and it is a disputed area. This high-altitude area is a difficult position for the Chinese and Indian armies, and the Chinese PLA cannot afford to occupy this area, especially during winter. They will be cut for almost six months, “he added. In May, the Chinese PLA abducted a 21-year-old state youth from the Asapila sector and then returned him to the Indian authorities after 19 days.
The other two areas in dispute are Tulung-la and Yangtse in Tawang District, the epicenter of the 1962 war between the two countries. It was Tulung-la on October 20, 1975, where the Chinese forces had crossed and later four Assam Rifles they killed the jawans.
“In 2016, a transgression by the Chinese army was reported in the Yangtze area, but there was no occupation,” the source added.
Among the sensitive areas are two formations known as Fishtail 1 in the Dibang Valley District and Fishtail 2 in the Anjaw District. “These two formations were left off the maps prepared by the Survey of India in the 1960s even though these two areas had been under Indian control. The Chinese PLA occupied the two formations in 1962 and then withdrew after the unilateral ceasefire, “the source said.
The other two sensitive areas are Thag-la in Tawang district and Dichu (Kibitu) in Anjaw district. Thag-la ridge was one of the battle hotspots in 1962. India has deployed its Special Forces units to the Dibang Valley and the recently upgraded and activated forward landing fields at Walong, Alo, Tuting, Pasighat and Vijaynagar.
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