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China's threat: India gets serious

By Nidhi Razdan | NDTV

This file photo taken on 1 October 2009 shows China’s military showing off their latest missiles during the National Day parade celebrating 60 years of communist rule in Beijing.File photo/AFP/Getty Images/Frederic J Brown/China

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met in New Delhi on Tuesday where top ministers and the PM discussed about the recent tension with China. India’s envoy to Beijing S Jaishankar has also been called to give his inputs.

There was consensus to act tough with the Chinese and show a firmness in approach while dealing with them.

Earlier, a top Indian Army General was denied permission to visit China because he serves in what they call a “sensitive” state like Jammu and Kashmir.

India and China certainly have their differences but this time Indian officials say Beijing has gone too far.

Government sources have told NDTV they are mulling their options and much will depend on what Beijing now signals through a senior defence officer who is expected to come here soon.

The latest worry for New Delhi are reports that 7,000 to 11,000 Chinese troops are here in Gilgit in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), which the government is trying to verify.

Some experts say that a more aggressive China needs a stronger response from India.

“This is very serious, for the first time they have belatedly questioned the status of Jammu and Kashmir. We need to take strong political steps like stapling the visas of Tibetans and stressing on Tibet as an autonomous part of China not a militarised one as it is now,” said Kanwal Sibal, former Foreign Secretary.

India’s China challenge

• China refuses to stamp the passports of Indians from Jammu and Kashmir instead giving them stapled visas on separate sheets of paper. Despite repeated protests by New Delhi for two years now the practice still goes on.
• Since they see Arunachal as a part of China, Beijing often denies visas to those from Arunachal saying they are from the same country!
• In 2007, a study tour to Beijing of over 100 IAS officers was cancelled after China refused to give a visa to an officer from Arunachal Pradesh even former Chief Minister Gegong Apang was not given a visa for the same reason.
• The Chinese have also angrily protested a meeting between the Dalai Lama and the PM earlier this month and even criticised the PM’s visit to Arunachal evoking an angry reaction from Delhi.

For now New Delhi is waiting and watching to see what Beijing signals but the shift in the public Chinese stance on Jammu and Kashmir has South Block officials very worried and they know they need to find a new way to deal with the problem.

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Published in NDTV website