India will soon raise a 1,000-man force in Sikkim to guard the border that the Himalayan state shares with China’s Tibet at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore.
China had, for years, not recognised Sikkim as part of India. It had, later, published a map showing Sikkim as part of India. Yet, the border dispute continues to simmer due to China’s claims over a small tract of territory called the ‘Finger Area’ in the State’s north.
The ‘Finger Area’ is one of the spots where the nation gets to hear about transgressions by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army on patrol into Indian territory. India already has similar security forces along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control with China.
The first of the five Ladakh Scouts units in Jammu and Kashmir was raised in 1973. It has also raised over the years, a Dogra unit in Jammu and Kashmir, one each of Kumaon and Garhwal units in Uttarakhand and two Arunachal Scouts units.
The Ladakh Scouts units are affiliated to the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles regiment of the Army, while one of the Arunachal Scouts units, approved in 2009 and raised in 2010, is attached to the Assam Rifles.
The second Arunachal Scouts unit is being raised at present and it will be affiliated to the Naga Regiment, a senior Army officer said. All of these forces are part of India’s efforts to boost its defence along the border with China, apart from deployment of other infantry, artillery and armoured regiments from its Dimapur-based 3 Corps, Tezpur-based 4 Corps, Siliguri-based 33 Corps, all in the eastern sector, and Leh-based 14 Corps in the western sector.