Borders neglected in past, top priority for Modi govt now: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on claims of Chinese intrusion in Arunachal Pradesh
A Union Minister described border infrastructure development as a current policy priority, responding to claims of Chinese activity near the Upper Subansiri region of Arunachal Pradesh
The remarks referenced a 2013 parliamentary statement by a former Defence Minister acknowledging that border areas had historically been kept underdeveloped as a matter of policy, a practice stated to have been discarded well before that
Visuals from a visit to remote border villages, including Maza, Galemo and Taksing in Arunachal Pradesh, were shared showing ongoing construction and infrastructure activity
The exchange reflects the continuing policy discussion around the pace and adequacy of border-area infrastructure development along India's northern frontier
Line of Actual Control (LAC) — Nature and Distinction from Border/LoC
The Line of Actual Control is the notional line separating Indian and Chinese-controlled territory in the absence of a mutually agreed and demarcated international boundary between India and China. Unlike an international border, the LAC is not delineated on ground or maps in most sectors, and both sides hold differing perceptions of its alignment, leading to recurring patrolling face-offs. It is distinct from the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, which originated from the 1972 Shimla Agreement based on the 1949 ceasefire line, and from the International Border (IB), which is a legally recognised and demarcated boundary.
Key Details
- The LAC spans roughly 3,488 km across three sectors: Western (Ladakh), Middle (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand), and Eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh) — India's official figure; China does not officially recognise Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and disputes the eastern sector
- China refers to Arunachal Pradesh as "South Tibet" and periodically renames locations there, a claim India has consistently rejected as it does not alter the state's constitutional status as part of India
- Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points and Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC, established 2012) are among the institutional mechanisms for managing LAC-related friction
- The 1993 and 1996 India-China border agreements established Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) for peace and tranquillity along the LAC
Claims of Chinese activity in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Subansiri region relate directly to the unresolved and undemarcated status of the LAC in the Eastern Sector, which China continues to contest through territorial claims and infrastructure build-up on its side.
Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP)
The Vibrant Villages Programme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aimed at the comprehensive development of identified border villages along the northern land border with China, intended to check depopulation ("reverse migration") from these villages and improve residents' quality of life through infrastructure, connectivity, and livelihood support. It was launched on 10 April 2023 from Kibithoo, a border village in Anjaw district, Arunachal Pradesh.
Key Details
- VVP-I was approved for the period 2022-23 to 2025-26, with an outlay of approximately ₹4,800 crore
- It covers villages in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Ladakh; of the roughly 662 priority villages identified nationally in the first phase, over 450 are in Arunachal Pradesh
- Components include all-weather road connectivity, drinking water, solar/renewable energy, mobile and internet connectivity, tourist centres, and multi-purpose centres
- The Cabinet subsequently approved Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) for 2024-25 to 2028-29, extending the model to villages along other stretches of the border
The infrastructure activity showcased in remote villages such as Maza, Galemo and Taksing in Arunachal Pradesh's border belt reflects the on-ground implementation of border-village development schemes intended to reverse historical underdevelopment along the frontier.
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Strategic Road Building
The Border Roads Organisation, functioning under the Ministry of Defence, is responsible for constructing and maintaining roads, bridges, and allied infrastructure in India's border areas, including strategically vital high-altitude routes along the LAC. Faster construction of all-weather roads, tunnels, and bridges near the LAC is aimed at closing the historical infrastructure gap with China's more developed road and rail network on the Tibetan plateau.
Key Details
- BRO was established in 1960 to develop and maintain road infrastructure in border and remote areas, initially under strategic considerations following the 1962 India-China war
- Key strategic projects include the Sela Tunnel (Arunachal Pradesh, inaugurated 2024) and various Indo-China Border Roads (ICBRs) sanctioned to improve troop mobility and logistics
- Border infrastructure is coordinated through the China Study Group and reviewed periodically by the Cabinet Committee on Security
The reference to historical "neglect" of border areas ties to decades-old debate on whether deliberately limiting road access near the LAC (to slow any adversary advance) inadvertently left India's own logistics and local development behind China's infrastructure build-up.
- LAC length (India's assessment): approximately 3,488 km across Western, Middle, and Eastern sectors
- Vibrant Villages Programme launched: 10 April 2023, at Kibithoo, Anjaw district, Arunachal Pradesh
- VVP-I outlay: approximately ₹4,800 crore for 2022-23 to 2025-26; VVP-II approved for 2024-25 to 2028-29
- Priority border villages identified under VVP-I nationally: around 662, with over 450 in Arunachal Pradesh across 11 districts
- Border Roads Organisation established: 1960, under the Ministry of Defence
- Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs established: 2012