Antony to visit Sino-Indian border at Nathu La in Sikkim

New Delhi, Nov 29 (UNI) Defence Minister A K Antony will visit Sino-Indian border at Nathu La in Sikkim during his two-day visit to the state from Saturday.

Accompanied by Army chief Deepak Kapoor and senior officials of his ministry, Mr Antony will be briefed by Army commanders on the security situation during his interaction with them, a Defence Ministry statement said today.

This first visit by Mr Antony to the state after he took over as Defence Minister in October last year assumes significance in the wake of rise in alleged intrusions by the Chinese army into Indian territory.

Two BJP MPs from Arunachal Pradesh had last week raised the issue of alleged Chinese incursions in Tawang district of the state. They wondered if there no such intrusions why the Indian Army had resorted to evening surveillance sorties by helicopters which, they said, would otherwise not fly after 1600 hrs in icy heights of Himalayas during normal times.

UNI