Border infrastructure
THE Vibrant Villages Programme, announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech, shows that India is firmly in the catch-up mode in order to counter China’s no-holds-barred infrastructure push along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The scheme will cater to underdeveloped villages with sparse population and limited connectivity, located along the border with China. Amid the prolonged standoff in eastern Ladakh, the neighbour has been busy establishing new settlements or augmenting facilities in the existing ones. According to a report of the US Department of Defence, China built a 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between its Tibet Autonomous Region and India’s Arunachal Pradesh last year. Beijing is also constructing a bridge on the Pangong Tso with the aim of facilitating faster movement of troops between the lake’s north and south banks. With the 13th and 14th rounds of Corps Commander-level talks — held in October last year and January this year, respectively — failing to break the deadlock, India has not lagged behind China in driving home the message that it is in for the long haul.
The capital budget of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been hiked to Rs 3,500 crore from Rs 2,500 crore. More funds at its disposal should help the BRO expedite work on strategically important projects. Among them is the Sela tunnel being built in Arunachal’s Tawang, a district bordering China. Infrastructure development in remote areas is a vital confidence-building measure to gain the trust of local residents, who can act as the eyes and ears of the troops.
Even as ‘Make in India’ remains a work in progress in the defence sector, the government has announced that 68 per cent of the capital defence procurement outlay will be earmarked for the domestic industry. This step is expected to reduce India’s heavy dependence on imports for defence equipment, though quality control will be a major challenge. With China relentlessly breathing down India’s neck, it is critical to keep the armed forces well equipped and operationally ready at all times. There is no room for dither and delay when national security is at stake.
