Article Posted on : - Jan 15, 2011

NEW DELHI (PTI): The Army has said there was no increase in deployment of security forces on the Sino-Indian border from either side.

"Force deployment on both the sides of the Sino-Indian borders has not increased. The force deployment is exactly the same as has been there for a large number of years," Army Chief General V K Singh told reporters here Friday.

However, he said there has been an increase in infrastructure development on the either sides of the boundary.

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

On the recent reports of intrusions by the Chinese troops in Demchok region of Ladakh, Singh said Chinese patrols had come up to the area which they perceive belongs to them.

"In this region, the Chinese patrols go up to their perceived region and our patrols go up to our perceived region," he said.

"When our patrols go to our perceived region, you do not report because they are our patrols. But, when their patrols come, you report that an incursion or transgression has taken place," Singh said.

The General the "transgressions" occur because the Line of Actual Control between India and China was not demarcated on the ground.

He said the "perceived transgressions" were at times played up. "On the recent incident, their patrols have not come on motorcycles or helicopters. They were on the other side of their perceived area," he said.

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

"We do not foresee any problems as there are confidence building measures in place. There are periodic flag meetings that take place.

There is a hotline existing at the local level. Whenever there is a problem, it is conveyed to the other side and the required commanders meet on ground to resolve it," Singh said.

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

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

"So far as we are concerned, there is a great amount of inter-agency cooperation. We are part of this. So, whatever is decided as an overall policy, we are a part of it," Singh said.