Addressing a press conference Congress spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh said, "Prime Minister and Defence Minister have undermined the astounding valour and insurmountable grit of our Armed Forces, who faced Chinese incursions and aggressions with indomitable courage and sacrifice."
"We urge the Prime Minister not to hide behind smokescreen and answer to the people," he added.
Vallabh said the new satellite images on Chinese military development, show purported construction of Chinese villages in Bhutanese territory over the last year, multiple new villages are seen spreading through an area roughly 100 square km (25,000 acres). The villages were constructed between May 2020 and November 2021.
These new villages lie near the Doklam plateau where India and China had a face-off in 2017, after which China bypassed Indian defences to resume road construction activity in the region.
The Congress said new construction on Bhutanese soil is particularly worrying for India since India has historically advised Bhutan on its external relations policy and continues to train its armed forces.
"In the last 18 months, the Modi government committed unpardonable compromise with our national security vis-a-vis our dominant position in Kailash Ranges and by withdrawing from Finger 4 to Finger 3 on the Northern Bank of Pangong Tso Lake Area," he said.
Vallabh further said, "Why had China occupied India's territory inside the LAC up to Y-Junction in Depsang Plains? Why had China occupied India's territory inside the LAC up to Y-Junction in Gogra & Hot Springs? How come China entered into our territory, Arunachal Pradesh and constructed a village, a dual use village. Not just a residential village, it is also a military cantonment."
He alleged that when the GOC in Chief of the Eastern Army Command has said that China is getting active and building infrastructure, roads and highways in the Chumbi valley. Chumbi valley directly affects and threatens the Siliguri corridor, the chicken's neck, which connects our 7 northeastern states with the rest of India that is the strategic importance of the Siliguri corridor.
The Congress said 100 square km of land grab and illegal incursion and setting 4 new villages by China in Bhutan, next to Doklam is a blow to our national security.
The two countries, which fought a war in 1962 and have had several skirmishes since then along their largely undefined 3,488-km border, were locked in a 73-day military stand-off at Doklam, a contested region between China and Bhutan close India's arterial highway where the Chinese were building a road.
The face-off plunged the already testy India-China ties to a new low. The two Asian giants are in a recovery mode and have seemingly made progress in their relationship, especially after the informal summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in April this year.
India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will hold the talks with China's top diplomat and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Beijing's new Special Representative on the boundary dispute.
"... Issue of the border talks, under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, China-India relations have maintained sound growth with ever deepening exchanges and cooperation in all areas," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said here.
He was replying to a question about scepticism about the deliverable of the border talks mechanism.
"Two sides attach great importance to it. The two Special Representatives will have an in-depth exchange of views on border related issues.
"At the same time, will promptly manage differences and uphold the peace and tranquillity of the border areas. The two sides will also exchange views on the major issues in bilateral ties and the international and regional issues of mutual interest," he added.
Geng said the two sides will talk to keep the border peaceful as agreed between Modi and Xi at Wuhan.
"Under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, China-India relations have maintained sound growth with ever deepening exchanges and cooperation in all areas.
"The two sides have maintained close communication and correlation in border related affairs. We have promptly managed differences through dialogue and consultation. The border areas have on the whole maintained stability," the spokesperson added.
Doval and Wang will also discuss other key irritants in bilateral ties.
India is likely to raise its trade deficit with China even if Beijing has promised to give more access to Indian companies to its market.
Beijing's opposition to India's attempt to have the Pakistani terror outfit chief Masood Azhar declared international terrorist at the UN and its "no" to New Delhi's entry into the Nuclear Supplier Group are other issues.
India opposes China's Belt and Road project as one of the routes of its key component - the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) - is planned through the Kashmir claimed by Delhi and held by Islamabad.
Despite India's protest, Pakistan and China launched a bus service along the CPEC route this month.
Asked if it is a fact that China has constructed seven helipads in Doklam and tanks and missiles have been stationed there, Sitharaman, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha said that the troops on both sides have "redeployed themselves away from their stand-off positions" but the troop strengths on both sides have gone down.
"In order to maintain these troops during the winter, the People Liberation Army (PLA) has undertaken construction of some infrastructure, including sentry posts, trenches and helipads," Sitharaman said.
The Indian troops were engaged in a two-and-a-half-month stand-off with the Chinese troops in Doklam plateau in the Sikkim sector which ended in August last year.
Steering clear of a direct response to the second part of the question asked by Congress leader Motilal Vora as to whether China can use this infrastructure against India or if India spoke with China on this particular issue, Sitharaman just said the government "regularly" takes up such issues with China.
"The Indian government regularly takes up the issues pertaining to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with the Chinese side through established mechanisms including border personnel meetings, flag meetings, meetings of working mechanism for consultation and coordination on India-China border affairs, as well as through diplomatic channels," she said.
A few days back, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre had, while addressing an army event, said that the situation along the LAC is "sensitive" and has the "potential of escalation".
On Monday, in a written reply to a question, Bhamre told the Upper House of Parliament that "situations arise on the ground" with PLA due to varying perceptions of LAC by the two sides.
"There is no commonly delineated LAC in the border areas between India and China. From time to time, on account of differences in the perception of LAC, situations have arisen on the ground that could have been avoided if we had a common perception of LAC," Bhamre said.
He added that India "consistently maintains" that peace and tranquillity on the India-China border is an "important pre-requisite" for the smooth development of bilateral relations.
The junior Defence Minister also said that the Indian government is "aware" of China's stated objective of becoming a "maritime power".
"As part of this strategy, China is developing ports and other infrastructure facilities in the littoral countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), including in the vicinity of India's maritime boundary," Bhamre said.
"The government is also aware that under its 'Belt and Road Initiative', China is undertaking projects for development of infrastructure facilities in several countries in the region."
On a report by Pentagon that China is setting up a military base in Pakistan, Bhamre said the government has seen media reports in this regard and "keeps a constant watch on such developments having a bearing on India's security and takes all necessary measures to safeguard it".
However, the Minister said that India and China have agreed that the relationships pursued by them with other countries "must not become a source of concern for each other".
"Both countries have agreed to display mutual respect and sensitivity to each other's concerns and aspirations," he added.
"The satellite imagery and media reports suggest that China has established military establishments in Doklam near Indian borders which indicates that India's security and strategic interests have been compromised," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surhewala told the media here.
Surjewala said: "It seems that the government was snoozing while the Chinese troops occupied the Doklam plateau as suggested by satellite images. And it seems China is planning Doklam 2.0 like retreat near the Indian borders."
Accusing Modi of mastering the art of rhetoric, the Congress spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister has mastered the art of electoral rhetoric as he has failed miserably to ensure the protection of our borders."
Showing the satellite images, Surjewala said China had constructed a two-storey watch tower, seven helipads and several military establishments in Doklam.
"What is the government doing as China has occupied the entire Doklam plateau? Is the government, Prime Minister, Defence Minister, aware about these constructions?"
Slamming Sushma Swaraj, Surjewala said the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement then, saying the troops of both the countries were doing expeditious disengagement.
"Even Sushma Swarajji said (this) in Parliament. And when we asked about the details, she said the troops of both countries were returning to their posts. At that point, there was no reason to question her statement," he said.
He said after the tensions at Doklam were resolved, the Chinese Foreign Ministry had said that while it had withdrawn the troops, it shall keep on patrolling the area.
The Congress leader demanded to know how the issue of tri-junction at Doklam would be decided in future when the China had occupied the entire plateau.
Surjewala said: "In October, Modiji announced at a public rally that Doklam issue as a victory. However, the satellite imagery released in media reports suggest that Chinese troops have constructed military establishments.
Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a face-off at Doklam for over three months last year.
The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said that during bilateral communications, "we were able to express our views and convey our concerns and interests".
"On this basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to, and is ongoing."
The decision to disengage their troops comes ahead of a crucial BRICS summit being hosted by China in September, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend.
An editorial in the state-run China Daily told India that the "clock is ticking away". The piece was latest addition to the hostile commentaries in the Chinese media.
The newspaper said "India will only have itself to blame" if it didn't withdraw troops from Doklam where its troops are locked in a stand-off with the Chinese Army since mid-June.
"The countdown to a clash between the two forces has begun, and the clock is ticking away the time to what seems to be an inevitable conclusion," it said.
"As the standoff ... enters its seventh week, the window for a peaceful solution is closing."
China has warned India of serious consequences if Indian troops were not pulled back from Doklam, which Beijing calls Donglang and claims is its territory.
India has proposed to China to simultaneously pull back from Doklam, which India and Bhutan say belongs to Thimpu. Beijing has refused.
The newspaper said India had ignored China's stern warnings.
"Anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear will have got the message. Yet New Delhi refuses to come to its senses and pull its troops back to its own side of the border."
Wuhan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping today began talks at an unprecedented two-day informal summit here during which they will have a series of one-on-one conversations focussing on bilateral, global and regional issues.
PM Modi who arrived in Wuhan in the central Chinese city early today for the informal summit began talks soon after President Xi hosted a grand welcoming ceremony for him.
“The two leaders will review the developments in our bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.
Modi and Xi shook hands and posed for photographs before witnessing a cultural programme at Hubei Provincial Museum in Wuhan. Wuhan used to be the favourite holiday spot of revolutionary Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
Official sources said the two leaders will hold a series of one-on-one talks after lunch at the Hubei Provincial Museum which has a large number of state-level historic and cultural relics.
The summit is being seen as an effort by India and China to rebuild trust and improve ties that were hit by the 73-day-long Dokalam standoff last year. They said Modi and Xi would focuss on global, regional and bilateral issues.
The one-to-one discussions will be followed by talks between the two leaders accompanied by six top officials from each side. The two leaders will have one-on-one dinner at a state guest house by the famous East Lake.
They will resume their one-on-one interaction tomorrow at 10 a.m (local time) with walks by the lake side, boat ride and wind up their talks over lunch, official sources here said.
The two leaders began their informal meetings way back in 2014 when Xi was hosted by Modi at the Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarat. They have met and interacted with each other in about a dozen international meetings since then.
But this will be their “heart-to-heart” informal summit. There will be no agreement signed or a joint statement issued. It is a summit, according to the officials, to forge consensus to resolve the issues with follow up actions by officials than announcing any agreements. This is something the leaders of the two countries have never tried so far, they said.
This is fourth visit of Modi to China after he came to power in 2014. He is again due to visit China to take part in the SCO summit to be held at Qingdao city on June 9-10.
China’s state media said the informal Xi-Modi meeting heralds new chapter in Sino-Indian relations, an article in the state-run Global Times said.
“The Xi-Modi meeting in 2018 following the 2017 Dokalam standoff will without doubt promote mutual trust and reciprocity between the two countries, and will be a cornerstone of a stable long-term relationship between China and India,” the article said.
Image source: PTI
Beijing: China today referred to the 1890 UK-China treaty, which it claims demarcated the Sikkim sector of the Sino-Indian border as it urged New Delhi to abide by its provisions, a day after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made her maiden visit to the Nathu La post.
Reacting to Sitharaman's visit to the area, the Chinese foreign ministry today said "the Sikkim section of the China- India border has been demarcated by the historical boundary".
"It is the best testimony to this fact. We urge the Indian side to face the facts, abide by the provisions of the historic boundary treaty and the relevant agreement of the parties, and work together with the Chinese side to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas," it said in a written response to PTI, to a query about Sitharaman's visit.
The ministry did not directly name the 1890 Britain-China treaty which Beijing often referred to during the Dokalam standoff stating that it has defined the Sikkim section of the boundary with Tibet, therefore the border in that area has been settled.
Sitharaman yesterday visited the Nathu La area on the Sino-Indian border and interacted with Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police officials.
Nathu La is the last post separating the border between the Sikkim on the Indian side and Tibet on the Chinese side.
Sitharaman's trip was the first high level visit to the area after the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Dokalam in the Sikkim sector of the border which ended on August 28 following a mutual agreement between India and China.
Of the 3,488-km India-China border which stretches from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim. The two sides have so far held 19 rounds of Special Representatives' talks to resolve the dispute.
The Dokalam standoff began on June 16 over the PLA's plans to build a road in the area claimed by Bhutan after which Indian troops intervened to stop the construction as it posed a security risk to the 'Chicken's Neck' - the narrow corridor connecting India with its northeastern states.
China, which earlier opened the Nathu La route for Indian pilgrims to visit Kailash and Manasarovar, closed it after the Dokalam standoff and is yet to reopen it.