📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
Defence
Border Neglect Ends as Defence Minister Rijiju Prioritises Arunachal Amid China Intrusion Claims
✍️ The New Indian Express
🗓 21 Aug 2026, 07:04 AM
👁 26
Defence Minister Kiren Rijiju said India will now treat its borders, especially in Arunachal Pradesh, as a top priority after recent Chinese intrusion allegations.
New Delhi's Defence Minister Kiren Rijiju warned that the long‑standing neglect of India's frontiers will be reversed, with the border in Arunachal Pradesh now a "top priority" for the government. He made the remarks in response to fresh claims that Chinese forces have entered Indian‑administered territory in the eastern sector.
Rijiju highlighted that past complacency allowed infrastructure gaps and inadequate surveillance along the Line of Actual Control. The ministry is reportedly accelerating road‑building, troop deployment and intelligence‑gathering initiatives to plug those gaps.
While the ministry has not released detailed operational data, officials confirmed that senior military commanders have been tasked with reviewing the situation and that diplomatic channels with Beijing remain open to resolve the dispute peacefully.
The statement comes amid heightened sensitivity in the region, where local residents have reported sightings of foreign patrols near border villages. The government has urged citizens to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies.
Analysts note that the shift in tone reflects New Delhi's broader strategy to reinforce its northeastern frontier ahead of the upcoming election cycle and to counter perceived Chinese assertiveness in the Himalayas.
Rijiju highlighted that past complacency allowed infrastructure gaps and inadequate surveillance along the Line of Actual Control. The ministry is reportedly accelerating road‑building, troop deployment and intelligence‑gathering initiatives to plug those gaps.
While the ministry has not released detailed operational data, officials confirmed that senior military commanders have been tasked with reviewing the situation and that diplomatic channels with Beijing remain open to resolve the dispute peacefully.
The statement comes amid heightened sensitivity in the region, where local residents have reported sightings of foreign patrols near border villages. The government has urged citizens to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies.
Analysts note that the shift in tone reflects New Delhi's broader strategy to reinforce its northeastern frontier ahead of the upcoming election cycle and to counter perceived Chinese assertiveness in the Himalayas.