india

Updated: Mar 09, 2020 05:47 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked central agencies to keep a close watch on the activities of China along the border, especially its influence on the monasteries in the Indo-Himalayan belt, according to government officials familiar with the development.

He has further directed agencies to collate census data of all border villages for the past five years using artificial intelligence and analytics to get a better understanding of demographic changes that are taking place, as well as the pattern of migration in the region.

The directives, given by Modi during the director general/inspector general conference of the Intelligence Bureau between December 6 and 8, 2019, were recently sent to all the states and central agencies. HT has reviewed the directives.

A central intelligence official, who asked not to be named, asserted that the PM’s reference to China’s influence in the Himalayan belt was a “pre-emptive exercise” to make sure the border areas and the monasteries in the mountain region were not ignored.

The development comes against the backdrop of China’s assertion that it alone can decide the successor to the 84-year-old Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in India since 1959. The US and other nations have opposed China’s efforts to decide the spiritual leader’s successor. While Chinese officials have said the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must be approved by their government and the selection should take place in their country, the Dalai Lama says Beijing’s pick will not be trusted. He has said that his successor could also come from India.

A national security expert – Sameer Patil, fellow at the international security studies programme at Gateway House — wrote in June 2018 that “China has slowly been increasing its influence, focusing not just on the border but exploiting sectarian differences among the monasteries of Ladakh”. Patil added that the region is the site of India’s frequent border face-offs with China.

“For 20 years, China has been quietly paying for the restoration of art and artifacts in Ladakh’s many neglected border monasteries. Its beneficence has been focused especially on approximately 260 Drukpa-sect monasteries, which own significant and valuable relics of Ladakhi Buddhist art, revered by the locals,” he wrote.

Many of the monasteries are located on Indo-China border, where China is increasing its infrastructure and security presence.

Patil, who also worked at the National Security Council from 2008 till 2013, told HT: “I presume the decision to turn Ladakh into a Union Territory was taken to bring the region to the attention of policymakers in Delhi. I hope it yields results.”

The intelligence official cited above said agencies involved in gathering intelligence and securing the border already have adequate mechanism to monitor Chinese activities at border but following PM’s directions, there will be further closer monitoring.

Modi also asked that all the pending roads in the border areas be constructed and their quality should be such that permits landing of Indian Air Force (IAF) planes.

Subsequently, he has asked that every IPS officer spend one night in a border village, covering 30 villages within a period of one month to understand the problems there and work required to be done. “Farthest border villages to be covered in this manner. First hand information thus collated and be used for proper border management,” the PM said at the police chiefs’ meet.

He further asked that National Cadet Corps (NCC) units be created in the educational institutions in the border areas.