Extra Troops Along China Border Will Raise Tensions, Harm India's Interests: Chinese Daily

BEIJING: Terming India's decision to beef up the security along the border with China by deploying one lakh additional troops as a "sensitive move", an official daily here said it would result in raising tensions harming New Delhi's interests.

"The action is completely not worthwhile. Currently, India has 40,000 troops in the disputed area, and if the further 100,000 is deployed, the total number of the troops will reach 140,000", an article carried by official People's Daily Online said on Tuesday.

"It will result in a tense situation in the region and harm India's own interests. Increasing troops on the border area is always a sensitive move and it is especially sensitive to increase troops on a disputed border area", it said.

"In an era when precision-guided weapons are developing rapidly, everyone with common sense knows that concentrated troops could be eliminated easily", it said alleging that India is raising the China threat theory to increase defence spending at a time when its annual economic growth rate is falling.

The article followed People's Liberation Army (PLA) daily, the official mouthpiece of Chinese military, terming India's move was aimed at containing China as it considered Beijing as real competitor.

The People's Daily commentary said decreasing growth rates in India is making it "very difficult to considerably increase military spending for military build up amid the economic downturn, so India needs to first create a tense atmosphere and transfer domestic problems in hopes of securing more military spending".

"The spread of the 'China threat theory', the increase of troops to the disputed areas near the China-India border, and the display of a tough attitude toward China all aim to make a breakthrough in further increasing military spending", it said.

India has continued to hold joint military drills with China's neighbouring countries over a recent period, showing it "evidently intends" to contain China.

"In addition, the US needs to rely on India to restrict China. India needs to show its value to US by flexing its muscle toward China so that it could gain its military support and help raise its international status", it said.

"India's troop increase on the border between China and India is aimed at meeting the requirements of the United States and then getting support from the United States. However, will India realise its goal?", it asked.