Quote:Army Chief General V K Singh has said India was "not sure" of China's intentions for developing infrastructure along the borders, but a repeat of the 1962 aggression was "never" possible.



Describing the regional security situation as "fragile," Singh said Pakistan Army's India-centric posturing and diversion of US counter-terrorism military aid against India were matters of concern.



"China is doing a great amount of infrastructure development, which it says is for locals of the area. No bones about it, no crib about it. But our problem is we are not very sure about the intentions. And when intentions change, with this capability, things can go wrong. And that is what is a matter of concern," he said.



"But, there is going to be no no 1962. Never," he said, referring to the Chinese aggression of Indian territory that year.



Singh reasoned that he did not see the kind of signages of 1962 at present, as there were no military build up or territorial claims that were witnessed just before the only time the two countries went to war.



"Absolutely, with full conviction," he said, when asked if he was confident there would be no no repeat of history.



"Things are better than what it was in 1962," he said, noting that situation along the borders was peaceful "to an extent" and the stand-offs were within the known parameters governed by Confidence Building Measures, with "nothing going astray".

Quote:China repeatedly says it is planning a "peaceful rise" but the recent pace and scale of its military modernisation has alarmed many of its neighbours in the Asia-Pacific, including Japan which described China's military build-up as a "global concern" this month.

Quote:With an estimated 450million internet users - more than a third of the country's population - China has a bigger online population than any other country.

It has blocked a number of popular websites, including Google's YouTube, Twitter, Flickr and Facebook, as well as Chinese content sharing sites.

The communist government has accused them of carrying content harmful to China's security and in breach of its laws, including images of protests in sensitive regions such as Tibet.

Quote:Lucknow/Bahraich, Jan. 18 (PTI): Three Chinese nationals were arrested near the Nepal border for allegedly sneaking into Indian territory and taking pictures of vital installations.



Liao Xing, Yu Dangli and Yang Liu were arrested by Sashastra Seema Bal personnel yesterday when they were taking pictures of some installations, special director-general (law and order), Brijlal, said.



An Indian PAN card, two mobile phones and a camera were seized from them, Brijlal said, adding that intelligence agencies were interrogating them.



He said the three had come from Nepal and crossed into Indian territory without valid passports and visas.



They were booked for illegally entering country and under the passport act.

Quote:The strongest solar flare in four years disrupted radio communications in southern China, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

The solar flare, a huge explosion on the sun's surface caused by magnetic activity, affected transmissions in southern China on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting the CMA.



The US space administration NASA confirmed that Monday's solar flare was the largest in four years, and the event sparked predictions of heightened activity on the northern hemisphere of the sun.



"X-class flares are the most powerful of all solar events that can trigger radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms," disrupting telecommunications and electric grids, NASA said.

Quote:He was responding to a query on media report that quoted a top Indian Army general warning that India not only faces a threat from Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) but also at the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan due to the expansive Beijing-Islamabad military nexus.



"We have seen media reports on the subject. Government closely and regularly monitors all developments along our borders which can have a bearing on our security," Krishna told reporters here.



"We continuously review and take all measures necessary to ensure the safety and security of our people, as well as the territorial integrity of the nation," he added.



Northern Army Command chief, Lt-General K.T. Parnaik had said in Jammu earlier that the growing Chinese presence would not only be a matter of concern at the India-China border but also along the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan.



Terming the growing cooperation between China and Pakistan in the military and infrastructural area a "serious" situation for India, he said the army was debating and evaluating the entire scenario.



This latest issue has come up as Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is set to leave for China for a official visit beginning April 12. He will hold multi-lateral and bilateral meetings with the Chinese leadership

Quote:Shishir Gupta Posted: May 11, 2011 at 0007 hrs

New Delhi China now has the capability to deploy and sustain more than half-a-million troops for over a month on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in case of a high threat scenario with India. Combining deft defence diplomacy with India’s neighbours and major infrastructure upgradation in restive Xinjiang and Tibet, Beijing is expected to be increasingly assertive towards New Delhi and may put pressure on Arunachal Pradesh in near future.



This threat perception and assessment in the form of a presentation in South Block was given to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony, National Security Adviser S S Menon, Principal Secretary T K Nair and Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar by the Indian military brass last month.



While the government is tight-lipped about the presentation, the military brass told the PM that Chinese PLA has acquired the capability to deploy 34 troop divisions (one division has 23,000 troops) along the LAC in case of a high threat scenario by pulling out troops from Chengdu and Lanzhou military regions. When compared to the Indian strength of nine holding divisions along the northern borders, the PLA with a defence budget estimated at $150 billion holds overwhelming advantage.



As part of major infrastructure upgradation in Tibet and Xinjiang, China is doing the following:



Connection with all counties in Tibet with border roads completed. Road network increased from 51,000 km in 2008 to 58,000 km in 2010. Plans to increase black topped roads by another 70,000 km on the anvil.



Extension of Qinghai-Tibet Railway from Golmund to Lhasa and thereon to Shigatse (close to Sikkim). Rail connectivity is planned to link Kathmandu, Myanmar, Bhutan, Pakistan and Central Asian republics. Eleven new rail lines on the anvil in Tibet and Xinjiang for rapid deployment of PLA.



There are eight airfields in Tibet, including five operational ones; 18 air bases in Tibet and Xinjiang have the capability to put India under range of Sukhoi 27 aircraft.



The Indian security concerns get multiplied when this Chinese advantage is backed with an all-weather friend like Pakistan. Beijing is in the process of supplying four F-22 frigates along with JF-17 aircraft to Islamabad. PLA has pushed some 1,000 troops in PoK for upgradation of Karakoram Highway and to link it with sea ports of Karachi, Gwadar and Bin Qassim. This will not only give strategic depth to Pakistan but also allow PLA to control the Persian Gulf.



China’s Dong Fang Electric Supply Corporation and Pakistan Railways have also signed a feasibility study contract on a Havelian-Khunjerab Pass rail link. The military brass also gave information on Chinese inroads into Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Quote:China-Pakistan: Update. On the third day of Pakistani Prime Minister Gilani's visit to China - and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, [size="3"][color="#FF0000"]China warned that any attack on Pakistan would be tantamount to an attack on China[/color][/size], The News reported.



Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao reportedly told Pakistani Prime Minister Gilani that Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi warned Washington during the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue to respect Pakistan's sovereignty. Moreover, Beijing will send a special envoy to Islamabad to express solidarity with Pakistan, a senior Chinese official said.



Comment: The precise wording and the intentions of the Chinese are not clear and there seems to be less substance than grandstanding. The words suggest China has agreed to act as Pakistan's protector, in some circumstances.



China's implied promise of a response would seem to apply to another US raid against terrorists and to drone attacks. What is not clear is how China might honor that commitment.



The language also seems to indicate that China would assist Pakistan in the event of an attack from India. China has done so for 40 years. On the other hand, the new alliance language also might imply that in the event of a war between India and China, [color="#FF0000"]Pakistan would be obliged to attack India on the flank[/color].



[color="#0000FF"]A violation of sovereignty is an act of war, but it cuts in many directions. For example, Pakistan's harboring of Taliban leader Mullah Omar is certainly a hostile act against Afghanistan and arguably an act of war.[/color]



Nevertheless, the language reported by The News indicates a significant strengthening of the defense relationship, possibly converting it into an alliance as close as that which China has with North Korea. After the US, China is emerging as the largest beneficiary from the death of bin Laden!

1. Indian nuclear weapons are so few if they have to be credible against not just Paki-satan but also China
2. Indian weapon yield is something that China has derided and is no match compared to Chinese nuclear fire power
3. The quantity of Indian Agni missiles required to take on Paki and China does not simply exist; particularity given that Agni-3, Agni-4 Agni- 5 Agnit 6 Agni .... are not yet proven and worse still do not yet exist in inventory

1. Indian nuclear weapons are so few if they have to be credible against not just Paki-satan but also China
2. Indian weapon yield is something that China has derided and is no match compared to Chinese nuclear fire power
3. The quantity of Indian Agni missiles required to take on Paki and China does not simply exist; particularity given that Agni-3, Agni-4 Agni- 5 Agnit 6 Agni .... are not yet proven and worse still do not yet exist in inventory