09-27-2003, 09:22 PM
I was going to write up a small piece as a follow on to this, but better to thrash around some details first....
Frankly the security of our northern borders really lies in the security of the himalayas. With a beligerent China on our northern border refusing to accept the LAC, Sikkim while laying claim to Arunachal Pradesh, the scene is set for a future confrontation. Recurrent border incursions are already taking place in AP, with a report a little while back of even abducting Indian Jawans, torturing them before letting them go.
China has of course along with bangladesh and Pakistan fueled the terroism in the NE that has been simmering for decades. The Continual proxy war continues and is gaining momentum with a continual radical islamised Bangladesh. What are our options and future strategies?
I firmly believe that in order to blunt these proxies We need to take strategic control of the himalayas.
Some points about Bhutan:
1) Bhutan is strategically located overlying our vital 20 mile chicken neck connecting the large NE to the rest of the country. China has boundary disputes with Bhutan.
2) To protect this we have placed observation posts and man the Bhutan China border in the North. The Indian army has various 'training' institutions around the country under IMTRAT and runs a military hospital at Haa.
3) NE terrorist groups have taken refuge in the south of Bhutan and employ hit and run guerilla tactics on our troops before crossing the border.
4) Continual talking and pressure hasn't moved Wang Chuck to take action against them till recently when he again asserted that he would try one last time to 'talk' to the terrorists.
5) Till the early 1970's Bhutan was a protectorate of India when it gained independance..however we still manage its defence and foreign affairs.
6) Bhutan is WHOLLY dependant on India for almost all its exports and Imports, BRO builds and maintains all roads in Bhutan. Various hospitals, Schools, large Dams, Scholorships for university students, have all been built or paid for by India, including the first 2 five yr plans while we still contribute VERY genorously now.
7) Bhutan has significant potential for hydropower and still exports a great deal of electricity to India.
In my view the security of the North East and our Northern borders will rely to a great deal on the security of Bhutan. Bhutan has paid very little to our concerns and still harbours the terrorist camps who engage in killing Indians. Perhaps the time has come to explain to the king that we need an increased armed presence in Bhutan at all costs to remove these camps and deter Chinese agression towards Bhutan and India. Perhaps it is time to persuade Bhutan to become a protectorate once again....difficult? Consider...
1)Wang Chuck in the late 80's growing uncomfortable with the large Nepali Hindu Lhotshampas in the south forced a process of Ethnic Cleansing pushing out what some estimate to be in the order of >100 000. Yet another time even with so much control on Bhutan we weren't able to protect them. Hindus like in kashmir, were the teachers, shop owners and have been now relegated for the last decade to live in squalor in Nepali and Indian refugee camps. A young population Dis heartened with lack of progress on immigration back to bhutan are now taking to Maoism and the gun to get their point across.
2) Demography data on Bhutan is almost impossible to come by, but some estimates place it around 600 000. With 35% of the population Hindu and disenchanted with the king and policies to keep a Monocultural Bhutan along with a 100 000 Hindu Lhotshampas waiting to enter...its easy to understand why Bhutan refuses to act on the immigration issue.
3) Saying this Indian control economically is growing, Huge Indian hotels and companies have realised the value of tourism and safety of bhutan and are investing heavily in its growth.
So to finish off quick, There HAS to be a greater Indian military presence in Bhutan to act against the terrorists in the South, while detering Chinese agression in the North. A economically integrated protectorate Bhutan or a integrated Bhutanese State will widen the Chicken neck and provide greater access to the NE facilitating trade. A large part of the Himalayas will be once again under our Control. The terrorist camps must be shut down, Indians lives will be saved and perhaps we can ease the suffering of the hindu refugee lhotshampas. I personally would love to see Squadrons of Tejas based at Thimpu, patrolling the northern Borders while PGM plinking in the South.
A Step in the Indian Great Game.
Frankly the security of our northern borders really lies in the security of the himalayas. With a beligerent China on our northern border refusing to accept the LAC, Sikkim while laying claim to Arunachal Pradesh, the scene is set for a future confrontation. Recurrent border incursions are already taking place in AP, with a report a little while back of even abducting Indian Jawans, torturing them before letting them go.
China has of course along with bangladesh and Pakistan fueled the terroism in the NE that has been simmering for decades. The Continual proxy war continues and is gaining momentum with a continual radical islamised Bangladesh. What are our options and future strategies?
I firmly believe that in order to blunt these proxies We need to take strategic control of the himalayas.
Some points about Bhutan:
1) Bhutan is strategically located overlying our vital 20 mile chicken neck connecting the large NE to the rest of the country. China has boundary disputes with Bhutan.
2) To protect this we have placed observation posts and man the Bhutan China border in the North. The Indian army has various 'training' institutions around the country under IMTRAT and runs a military hospital at Haa.
3) NE terrorist groups have taken refuge in the south of Bhutan and employ hit and run guerilla tactics on our troops before crossing the border.
4) Continual talking and pressure hasn't moved Wang Chuck to take action against them till recently when he again asserted that he would try one last time to 'talk' to the terrorists.
5) Till the early 1970's Bhutan was a protectorate of India when it gained independance..however we still manage its defence and foreign affairs.
6) Bhutan is WHOLLY dependant on India for almost all its exports and Imports, BRO builds and maintains all roads in Bhutan. Various hospitals, Schools, large Dams, Scholorships for university students, have all been built or paid for by India, including the first 2 five yr plans while we still contribute VERY genorously now.
7) Bhutan has significant potential for hydropower and still exports a great deal of electricity to India.
In my view the security of the North East and our Northern borders will rely to a great deal on the security of Bhutan. Bhutan has paid very little to our concerns and still harbours the terrorist camps who engage in killing Indians. Perhaps the time has come to explain to the king that we need an increased armed presence in Bhutan at all costs to remove these camps and deter Chinese agression towards Bhutan and India. Perhaps it is time to persuade Bhutan to become a protectorate once again....difficult? Consider...
1)Wang Chuck in the late 80's growing uncomfortable with the large Nepali Hindu Lhotshampas in the south forced a process of Ethnic Cleansing pushing out what some estimate to be in the order of >100 000. Yet another time even with so much control on Bhutan we weren't able to protect them. Hindus like in kashmir, were the teachers, shop owners and have been now relegated for the last decade to live in squalor in Nepali and Indian refugee camps. A young population Dis heartened with lack of progress on immigration back to bhutan are now taking to Maoism and the gun to get their point across.
2) Demography data on Bhutan is almost impossible to come by, but some estimates place it around 600 000. With 35% of the population Hindu and disenchanted with the king and policies to keep a Monocultural Bhutan along with a 100 000 Hindu Lhotshampas waiting to enter...its easy to understand why Bhutan refuses to act on the immigration issue.
3) Saying this Indian control economically is growing, Huge Indian hotels and companies have realised the value of tourism and safety of bhutan and are investing heavily in its growth.
So to finish off quick, There HAS to be a greater Indian military presence in Bhutan to act against the terrorists in the South, while detering Chinese agression in the North. A economically integrated protectorate Bhutan or a integrated Bhutanese State will widen the Chicken neck and provide greater access to the NE facilitating trade. A large part of the Himalayas will be once again under our Control. The terrorist camps must be shut down, Indians lives will be saved and perhaps we can ease the suffering of the hindu refugee lhotshampas. I personally would love to see Squadrons of Tejas based at Thimpu, patrolling the northern Borders while PGM plinking in the South.
A Step in the Indian Great Game.