Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other political leaders on Tuesday lashed out at the Narendra Modi-led government over a 'new war paradigm' at India's border with China. More than a year after clashes along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, tensions between the two countries continue to persist. More recently, a media report had indicated that China appears to have built at least 10 new air bases along the LAC in Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh besides ramping up infrastructure close to the Indian frontier.
A report by The Telegraph quoted sources in the security establishment to add that that the Chinese army had previously built have built at least 10 new air bases along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh besides ramping up infrastructure close to the Indian frontier. Another report by News 18 suggests that the PLA is conducting a high-altitude exercise at night near Ladakh.
The reports come against the backdrop of ongoing talks and even meetings between the External Affairs Minister and his Chinese counterpart.
"We are facing a new war paradigm on our borders. Ignoring it won’t work," Gandhi cautioned in a tweet, sharing screenshots of the article in question.
In the past year, Gandhi has emerged as a vocal critic of the central government over its handling of the ongoing rift with China. Earlier in August he had accused the Prime Minister and his team of ceding "thousands of square kilimetres of Indian land to China".
"When exactly are we getting it back?" he wanted to know. The Congress had also raised questions, wondering why the government had not said much on the topic of recovering Indian areas believed to have been captured by China.
