The Chinese PLA soldiers have now been camping on Indian Territory for at least fifteen days without any signs or outward intentions of early vacation. India has rightly said that it has plans to resolve the situation and not 'accentuated' the 'localised' issue, (according to the PM).
This intrusion should not come as a surprise to any China watcher. China has done this in the past and will do it again simply because India is often perceived (perhaps mistakenly) as a power incapable of taking any firm action. Let me hasten to add that while every such transgression cannot and should not be allowed to escalate to a military confrontation it is also essential that India declares some 'red lines' to prevent the recurrance of these situations and change people's perceptions about India's ability and will to retaliate if need be.
As in the past, whenever India gives the impression of being weak, prevaricating or vacillating in her response to external pin pricks, its neighbours use the opportunity to send a political message, in this case, with Chinese characteristics!!
China is in fact declaring her displeasure at India's belated and somewhat half-hearted yet unnecessarily publicised steps to enhance her defence posture along the LAC.
China does not want India to raise two additional infantry divisions, nor a new mountain strike corps (whatever that means), permanently station two/three Su-30MKI squadrons at forward airfields in the Northeast. China has not taken kindly to the IAF upgrading and reactivating its forward advance landing grounds (ALG) at Nayoma, Chushul, Daulat Beg Oldi and other areas.
China wants that India maintain status quo or the power differential in favour of China because any addition to troops on the Indian side would upset the current balance and enhance India's capacity for a robust military response should the need arise in the future.
China not only makes these probing moves to test India's resolve but also reiterates now and again the disputed or unsettled status of the border with India.
That this Chinese PLA intrusion is a deliberate and intentional move to send a clear political message to India just prior to the first visit of the new Chinese PM Li Keqiang is not in doubt. What the new Chinese leadership is conveying to India is that China will not relax her position on the boundary question nor will grant any concessions to India.
More importantly, China is also telling India to not mess with her powerful neighbour and accept China's political, military and economic ascendancy and learn to live like a subsidiary power.
The only way India can change these perceptions is to show her readiness to play a more active role in international affairs and not appear disinterested and a passive onlooker to events in her immediate neighbourhood.
The January 2013 stand off along the LoC with Pakistan following the beheading of Indian soldiers, the brutal murder of an Indian prisoner in Pakistani jail, the recent murderous attack by inmates on Sarabjit Sing another Indian prisoner languishing in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail, the disdainful treatment that the Government of Maldives meted out to an Indian company and then disregarded India's requests to treat her former President with due dignity and the fiasco of the two Italian Marines facing murder charges in Indian courts all show a marked tendency on the part of India to wish away problems and do nothing. Little wonder then that no one takes India seriously! Sad but true.
