BRIEFLY DISCUSS AREAS OF CONTENTION AMONG INDIA AND CHINA. WHAT IS STRATEGIC DEFENCE INITIATIVE THAT INDIA HAS TAKEN AGAINST CHINA AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE ITS IMPACT?

At various pockets along the disputed 3,500-km LAC-a line that reflects the territory under the present control of India and China, but is not an agreed upon final border-both sides have differing views on where the line actually lies. With troops patrolling up to what they see as their perception of the LAC, patrols have had run-ins and face-off situations caused by overlapping claim lines.

1.      KARAKORAM RANGE- Talks on the LAC in the western sector stalled with China rejecting discussions on areas west of the Karakoram Pass and the roughly 5,800 sq-km Shaksgam Valley ceded by Pakistan to China, which is claimed by India.

2.      DEPSANG- Ties strained as Chinese troops pitched a tent on the Depsang plains, ahead of the May 2013 visit of Premier Li Keqiang. China claimed the area as being on "its side of the LAC':

3.      CHUMAR- Patrols on both sides engaged in three-week-long stand-off coinciding with President Xi Jinping's September 2014 visit to New Delhi.

4.      BARAHOTI- Differing perceptions of area in the middle sector in Uttarakhand emerged during the map exchange in 2000, with reports of intermittent incursions in this region.

5.      TAWANG- China has never recognized the McMahon Line in the eastern sector. Its hardening claims on Arunachal, and especially on Tawang in spite of a 2005 understanding on settled populations, has led to further stalemate in the east.

INDIA’S STRATEGIC DEFENCE AGAINST CHINA, MEASURES AND MEANS

Building of ALG (Advanced Landing Ground)

Under the overall plan to progressively boost both military force-levels and infrastructure to address the stark military asymmetry with the People's Liberation Army, the IAF will activate its Pasighat advanced landing ground (ALG) in West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

The ALG will not only improve our response time to different operational contingencies, but also the efficacy of the overall air operations on the eastern front.

Pasighat is the fifth ALG to become operational other than Daulat Beg Oldi and Nyoma in Laddakh, While Ziro, Along, Mechuka and Walong ALGs in Arunachal are now operational, Tuting will be ready soon.

Other infrastructural support

Similarly, the government has now approved several infrastructure development projects in the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), as the country's first theatre command, say defence ministry sources. India has also begun to regularly deploy its Sukhoi-30MKI fighters and C-130J Super Hercules air craft, as well as the long range patrol and anti-sub-marine warfare Poseidon-81 aircraft, at the ANC, which can act as a pivot to counter China's strategic moves in the Indian Ocean Region. 

Weapon and Payload mounting

• Agni-III (3,000km range) inducted. Agni-IV (3,500km) & Agni-V (over 5,000km) to be ready in another 2-3 years.
• More Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, spy drones & helicopters in eastern theatre.
• More T-72 tanks in Ladakh & Arunachal.
• 2 new infantry divisions (36,000 soldiers) raised at Likabali & Missamari (Assam) in 2009-2010.
• Mountain strike corps (90,274 soldiers) to be fully raised by 2021.
• Ongoing deployment of 6 Akash surface-to-air missile squadrons in northeast.
• CCS has cleared a regiment of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for Arunachal.
• Activated ALGs in Ladakh (DBO, Nyoma & Fukche) and Arunachal (Pasighat, Mechuka, Walong, Along & Ziro).
• Military force-levels & infrastructure to be bolstered in A& N Islands).

Problems in Strategic counter move                                                          

But road and rail connectivity remain a major problem along the unresolved 4,057km Line of Actual Control (LAC), which witnesses almost daily "transgressions" by Chinese troops.