Chinese army 'trangressed' Arunachal Pradesh's border twice last month

Kiren Rijiju said, 'We cannot term it as incursion, but transgression, as Chinese army crossed perceived area along LOC'

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju today said that the Chinese army had transgressed the border of Arunachal Pradesh on two occasions last month, but these could not be described as incursion.

"We cannot term it as incursion, but transgression, as the Chinese army just crossed the perceived area along the Line of Actual Control," he told reporters here after inaugurating the Pasighat Advance Landing Ground (ALG) in the northeastern state.

Rijiju said one incident was reported from Kibithu area in remote Anjaw district on July 22 and another at Thangsa in Tawang district during the month.

He said when the matter was reported from Kibithu by ITBP, the Centre verified it and found that it was only an act of transgression.

The ALG will allow fighter aircraft like Su 30 MKI to land and take off in a major fillip to India's military capabilities along its border with China.

On government's efforts to match China's infrastructure development across the border, Rijiju said that the Centre had already started strengthening the infrastructure and the ALG at Pasighat was a major step in this direction.

"We are not challenging or competing with any other country by strengthening our border infrastructure. We will have to build robust infrastructure to strengthen our defence and whatever we have done is because India is an emerging power with capability.

"So IAF should have operational bases in all the bordering states," he said, noting that the Centre attaches priority to development of border infrastructure.

Asked about the proposed ALG at Tawang, the minister said an area had been identified between Tawang and Lumla at an altitude of 11,000 feet and at that height, such a rugged terrain was very challenging.

"We will have to see whether the site is feasible or otherwise we will have to look for an alternative place," he said.

To a question about some leaders of insurgent outfits from the northeast taking shelter in Myanmar, Rijiju said that India has requested Myanmar to take action against the insurgent groups taking shelter in that country.

"There are reports of some leaders of insurgent outfits from the northeast taking shelter in Myanmar and we are in constant talks with the government of that country requesting it to take action against them," the minister said.