Deccan Herald
November 17, 2015
With Indian and Chinese armies agreeing to enhance communications and exchanges between the troops, more border personnel meeting points at the Sino-Indian border are likely to be operationalised.
This has been decided at a meeting between the defence delegations from the two countries headed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar from the Indian side and Gen Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of China, here on Monday.
At present, there are three border personnel meeting (BPM) points at Chusul (Ladakh), Nath La (Sikkim) and Bum La (Arunachal Pradesh). Earlier this year, a fourth BPM point was operationalised at Daulat Beig Oldie in Jammu & Kashmir.
A proposal to create three more BPM huts at Ship Li La and Lipulekh (Uttarakhand) and Kibuthu (Arunachal Pradesh) are on the table for a long time, the realisation may now be expedited.
“Gen Fan and the Defence Minister felt that the two armed forces shoulder important responsibilities for maintenance of peace and tranquility and agreed to further enhance communications and exchanges. They welcomed the operationalisation of additional BPM points,” the Defence Ministry stated.
The Special Representatives from two countries had earlier agreed to further expand contacts between the border forces to reduce flashes between the patrolling troops along the 3,488 km-long disputed border.
The National Democratic Alliance government informed Parliament in August, 2014, that Chinese troops transgressed the Sino-Indian border 334 times till August, and a total of 1,278 times between 2010 and 2013.
