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Nitin A. Gokhale Profile picture
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26 Jul, 5 tweets, 2 min read
Those shocked by the killing of six policemen in a clash with their Mizoram counterparts in Assam’s Barak Valley will be astonished to know that 36 years ago as many as 28 policemen were killed in a similar clash on the Assam-Nagaland border at Merapani. nytimes.com/1985/06/08/wor…
As a young reporter remember travelling to the troubled area a day after the bloody clash. Will have to locate the clipping. It is not unusual in the north-east to have these border disputes flaring up once in a while. They are a legacy of the early decades of independence.
Carving out of smaller states from the undivided territory of Assam led to this situation. So there are Assam-Nagaland, Assam-Meghalaya, Assam-Mizoram and Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary disputes that still simmer in the region. The last such clash was in 2014.
As my friend @samudragkashyap has explained in this longish piece, these disputes go back a long way google.com/amp/s/indianex…
Some more background google.com/amp/s/frontlin…

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Nitin A. Gokhale Profile picture
25 Jul
Watching the better half struggling to keep her students (all under-privileged children from nearby jhuggi) motivated in absence of regular school, I am baffled why govt is not restarting schools when everything else is open. It is not as if kids are not going out of the house
During a visit to a mall after months on Saturday one could see kids accompanying their parents in droves; neighbourhood parks are full of children enjoying themselves in the evenings (often without masks). So what gives? The loss of learning opportunities is really harmful
Children are becoming lazy and forgetting basics (anecdotal evidence from the evening gathering that the spouse presides over); teachers appear to be perfunctory in online classes; poor parents are hard pressed to buy or lease laptops; There has to be face to face interaction
Read 4 tweets
Nitin A. Gokhale Profile picture
17 Feb
Let me tell you a true story about Pakistani desire for validation from India. Your rants and constant screaming are part of that DNA. This was in January 2012. I was to speak in the only track II organised by an American think-tank I attended with Pakistanis in Dubai.
In the session on what role can the two militaries play in ensuring CBMs between India and Pakistan, I started my presentation after two speakers from India and two from Pakistan had already spoken. Another Pakistani speaker was to make his remarks after me
Apart from tracing the history of drawing up CFL and LoC in which the militaries had also played a part, I pointed out that the Indian military has now started reorienting itself to look at China as its main adversary and the challenges posed by its rise.
Read 9 tweets
Nitin A. Gokhale Profile picture
12 Feb
Since many of you asked several Qs on different aspects of Ladakh disengagement, here’s what I know to the best of my knowledge: 1. The forward most Indian post in the finger area on North Bank of Pangong Tso has always been Dhan Singh Thapa Post (near Fin 3) and not Finger 4.
2. There is no indication in either @rajnathsingh’s statement or any other official document to suggest that there is a change in Indian perception of LAC running through Finger 8.
3. The present agreement is limited to areas where troops are in very close proximity to each other that could have resulted in unintended escalation
Read 6 tweets
Nitin A. Gokhale Profile picture
14 Jan
Make-in-India for defence is gathering pace. In the pipeline after 83 LCA Tejas, is the first private sector aircraft manufacturing contract when the Airbus-TATA joint venture to make 56C-295 aircraft; An Indian company incubated by IIT, Bombay has also got orders for drones
The trend is reflected in the acceptance of necessity (AoN) granted in 2020 by the DAC. 33 out of 38 cases are under Make category. Within this, most cases (31) are for Buy IDDM indicating that all these AoNs are for products to be designed and developed in India.
The combined value for IDDM category would come to Rs 64.8 K crores when these AoNs are converted into orders. By comparison, AONs worth only Rs 9.8K crores have been granted for platforms that will be imported. The challenge is to convert AONs into contracts in reasonable time
Read 4 tweets
Nitin A. Gokhale Profile picture
11 Jan
Premature celebrations about so-called withdrawal of 10000 Chinese troops from depth areas in Eastern Ladakh are uncalled for. Frontline troops (in standoff positions along the LAC) remain in tact. Only back up troops may have been withdrawn because of severe winter
The ‘thinning out’ is perhaps only because those troops do not have any role right now. Too early to jump to conclusions. The real test will come three-four months down the line. Very few people know that even India has turned over/ thinned out some brigades in recent months
It would be delusional to draw any definite conclusion on Chinese intentions in withdrawing the troops. The same troops might be brought back in the summer. Indian ground commanders are on highest alert and the leadership is on no mood to trust the Chinese after Galwan
Read 4 tweets
Nitin A. Gokhale Profile picture
1 Nov 20
Its 1st November. For the military deployed in Ladakh, winter has officially begun although temperatures had already started plummeting below zero last fortnight when I was there. It is also three weeks since the last round of Corps Commanders' talks were held.
It is now certain that troops from both sides will sit through the harsh winter facing off each other. An unprecedented situation in the history of India-China boundary dispute although it must be remembered that in 1962, China's final offensive took place on 20th November
Indian troops (under 14 Corps) are used to being deployed in forward posts at super high altitudes through harshest of winter months for years. For the PLA troops however, this will be a first. How the Chinese cope with the experience will also play into PLA's long-term plans
Read 8 tweets

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