A tunnel at over 3,000 metres raises tensions between Beijing and New Delhi
Inaugurated by Modi in the foothills of the Himalayas, it will facilitate connections in Arunachal Pradesh, including military links to the de facto border with the People's Republic of China. Claiming sovereignty over the region, Beijing issued an official protest.
New Delhi (AsiaNews) – The new Sela tunnel, inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Modi on Saturday, is once again raising tensions between New Delhi and Beijing in the foothills of the Himalayas. The new structure completes a project that began in 2019.
Of strategic importance, the Sela tunnel consists of two tunnels and 8.7 km of access road for a total length of about 12 km. It was dug under the Sela Pass, which is 4,200 metres high and connects Tawang district to the rest of Arunachal Pradesh.
From an engineering point of view, it is the highest double-lane tunnel in the world and will replace a road that is often closed due to snowfall and landslides.
Above all, the area is important from a strategic point of view because of its proximity to the Line of Actual Control, India’s de facto border with the People's Republic of China.
The lack of viable roads and rail links in Arunachal Pradesh has always been considered a distinct disadvantage for India vis-à-vis China along this border.
In recent years, the Modi government invested heavily in infrastructure in the country’s northeast region, with the construction of new airports and rail links.
This is also why Beijing's reaction was not long in coming. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated that his government had officially protested to New Delhi.
"The area of Zangnan is Chinese territory," he said, using the Chinese name for Arunachal Pradesh.
“The China-India boundary question has yet to be solved. India has no right to arbitrarily develop the area of Zangnan in China. India’s relevant moves will only complicate the boundary question and disrupt the situation in the border areas between the two countries.”
According to a report by the Bloomberg agency, New Delhi has deployed 10,000 soldiers in recent months to strengthen the disputed border area with China, thus adding further stress to the already sour relations with Beijing.
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12/04/2019 13:51
