OCTOBER 5, 2019
As the Indian Army holds first-of -its kind, biggest ever mountain combat exercise ‘Him Vijay’ in Arunachal Pradesh, which borders the Chinese controlled Tibet Autonomous Region, China has reportedly raised concerns about the exercise.
China’s Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui on a visit to India to oversee preparations ahead of President Xi’s India visit, is reported to have raised the issue during his meeting with Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on Thursday.
Chinese Premier Xi Jinping will visit India later this month the dates for which have not been announced yet. The second informal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, likely in Mahabalipuram.
The military combat exercise will be conducted more than 100 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to test its new war strategy against China, at 14,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh which is 100 km from the forward areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Three battle groups, each comprising 4,000 soldiers, is being carried out in phases and will end on October 25. In this exercise, the capability of newly-conceived Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) will be tested. The ‘Him Vijay’ will include troop mobilisation, mountain assault and air assault.
Earlier in September, a leading Chinese daily, which invariably represents the views of the Chinese government, said India is clearly targeting China by seeing it as an ‘imaginary enemy’ by frequently holding military exercises along the Chinese border.”
The Global Times noted that after a “rare integrated military exercise” in Ladakh bordering China last week, the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force would conduct a joint military exercise in Arunachal Pradesh next month. China claims that the entire state of Arunachal Pradesh belongs to it and calls it South Tibet.
The newspaper observed that ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, his personal popularity has reached a new peak within his country. ”It seems that the tough leader has tasted the sweetness of such a practice and hopes to continue hyping nationalism by aiming at other countries,” it added.
