New Delhi, Sep 19 (Inditop.com) Downplaying the recent border intrusions by Chinese troops, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan Saturday stoutly maintained there would never be a “repeat of 1962” and there was nothing alarming about the “inroads”.
“The first thing, I would like to sort of wipe out the question of repeat of 1962. India of 2009 isn’t that of India of 1962. I want to make this point very clearly,” Narayanan told news channel CNN-IBN in an interview.
In 1962, Chinese troops made inroads into the Indian territory and the issue finally flared up into a full scale war.
“In terms of number of incursions, there has been hardly any increase. Occasionally inroads are a little deeper than what might have been in the past. I don’t think there is anything alarming about it,” said Narayanan.
“One can always argue any incursion small or big could be of a cause of concern but having been through this not only now but in the past, I don’t think there is any reason for us to be particularly concerned about what is happening.”
Narayanan stopped short of blaming the media for the constant barrage but said, “I don’t know what is the reason why there is so much of reporting”.
He also added that that media hype could lead to “unwarranted incident or accident” and that could create problems with the neighbour.
“We are careful. I think we are careful partly because of what happened in 1962 that we should not provoke a situation, which we don’t wish to have. I don’t think anybody in India wishes to have a conflict with China,” said Narayanan and pointed out that both nations were keen to maintain peace and tranquility at the border.
“I think that also goes for China. There are issues between the two countries. I don’t think we have all the answers for these issues. But the whole purpose of dialogue is to see where are the congruencies and the differences.”
India and China have held 13 rounds of talks to resolve the border row. But this has led to little progress, with both sides reiterating their stated positions.
