Army chief rules out hostilities with China

New Delhi, Jul 3 (UNI) Reacting on recent reports of incursions by the People's Liberation Army in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim along the Line of Control (LoC), Army Chief Deepak Kapoor today said transgressions occurred due to differing perceptions of the boundary and could not lead to hostilities between troops on the ground.

He also blamed the transgressions due to confusion among troops on ground, especially when units changed and new units got posted there.

''...we have boundary negotiating teams that have been established by both India and China, which are having a constant dialogue on a regular basis,'' he said.

He said such issues are either resolved at periodic flag meetings or at meetings between interlocutors from both sides.

He, however, ruled out commencement of hostilities due to differing perceptions between the troops on ground.

But at the same time, the Chief of Army Staff said India needs to take note of likely implications of China's military modernisation, improvement in infrastructure in Tibet Autonomous Region and other related issues, ''which could impact our security in the long term.'' Delivering the 'National Security Lecture' at the strategic affairs think tank Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), Gen Kapoor said China, the largest and the most powerful neighbour, and a rapidly rising power, continued on the path of high economic growth, combined with rapid military modernisation.

In his lecture on 'Changing Global Security Environment With Specific Reference to Our Region and its Impact on the Indian Army,' he said, India and China have differences related to the boundary question, ''which are being resolved by special representatives of both the governments.'' Later, to a poser, the Army Chief said the Indian Army was not aware of any build up of China's PLA in Tibet, as some reports suggested, for an adventure inside Indian territory after Beijing Olympics. ''Do you want me to react to unconfirm reports,'' he quipped.

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