No increase in deployment of forces on China-India border:Army

New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) The Army today said there was noincrease in deployment of security forces on the Sino-Indianborder from either sides.

"Force deployment on both the sides of the Sino-Indianborders has not increased. The force deployment is exactly thesame as has been there for a large number of years," ArmyChief General V K Singh told reporters here.

However, he said there has been an increase ininfrastructure development on the either sides of theboundary.

"It is not one-sided. There are developments on the otherside. Similarly, for our own developmental purposes and forensuring that we can reach our remote areas, infrastructuredevelopment is taking place," he said replying to questions onthe India-China boundary, particularly in Ladakh.

On the recent reports of intrusions by the Chinese troopsin Demchok region of Ladakh, Singh said Chinese patrols hadcome upto the area which they perceive belongs to them.

"In this region, the Chinese patrols go upto theirperceived region and our patrols go upto the our perceivedregion," he said.

"When our patrols go to our perceived region, you do notreport because they are our patrols. But, when their patrolscome, you report that an incursion or transgression has takenplace," Singh said.

The General the "transgressions" occur because the Lineof Actual Control between India and China was not demarcatedon the ground.

He said the "perceived transgressions" were at timesplayed up. "On the recent incident, their patrols have notcome on motorcycles or helicopters. They were on the otherside of their perceived area," he said.

He said the areas where there is a dispute over theboundary were known the Ministry of External Affairs and theArmy.

"We do not forsee any problems as there are confidencebuilding measures in place. There are periodic flag meetingsthat take place. There is a hotline existing at the locallevel. Whenever there is a problem, it is conveyed to theother side and the required commanders meet on ground toresolve it," Singh said.

To a question on resuming joint military exercises withChina, the General said he would not comment on it as thematter was in the diplomatic domain.

"I really won''t be able to comment on it for the simplereason that a call has to be taken by the Ministry of ExternalAffairs as to how they look at our relations with China,"Singh said.

"So far as we are concerned, there is a great amount ofinter-agency cooperation. We are part of this. So, whatever isdecided as an overall policy, we are a part of it," Singhsaid.