NEW DELHI (TIP): After China’s objection to India’s plan of building a 2,000-km long road along the border in Arunachal Pradesh, Home Minister Rajnath Singh stated on October 16 that no one should threaten India. “No one can warn India,” said Rajnath Singh, adding, “Both countries should sit together to resolve the border dispute.” Earlier, China expressed concern over an alleged plan by India to build a road along the border in Arunachal Pradesh. “China has already spread their network of roads and rail network near the border.

Whatever we make on our territory should not be a concern of China,” said an unnamed official in the Home Ministry’s border management department to news agency Reuters. He was quoted as saying that the ministry was seeking Cabinet approval for the 2000-km road in Arunachal Pradesh and had preliminary support from the Prime Minister’s Office. In September, the government eased environmental and other curbs on building roads and military facilities within 100 km of the border in Arunachal Pradesh to hasten the construction of some 6,000 km of roads.

Reacting to news about the new road, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the government needed to “further verify the situation”. “Before the border problem is solved, we hope the Indian side will not take any action that could further complicate the relevant issue, so as to preserve the current situation of peace and stability in the border area,” he added.

China expresses concern over India’s border road plan

China on October 15 expressed concern over India’s plans to build a road along the remote eastern part of its border, saying it hoped India would not “further complicate” the festering disagreement. In September, India eased curbs on building roads and military facilities within 100 km of the contested border in remote Arunachal Pradesh, so as to hasten construction of some 6,000 km of roads. The move came as Chinese President Xi Jinping visited India, in a bid to defuse the distrust between both countries.