India-China border infrastructure

Border infrastructure in the borderlands of India and China encompasses irrigation, roads, railways, airports, natural gas and oil pipelines, electricity grids, telecommunications, broadcasting. In the context of the border tensions between India and China, many of these infrastructure projects in the borderlands are considered strategic in nature. Commentators have noted the infrastructure gap that existed and still exists between the infrastructure on borderlands of India and China.^[1] For many decades, the approach taken to the construction of border infrastructure by China and India was significantly different,^[2] however, in terms of utilizing the natural resources of the borderlands for the needs of the country, both countries are said to have a similar approach.^[3]

China[]

India[]

Border Area Development Programme[]

The Border Area Development Programme (BADP) was initiated in the 1980s along the western border with Pakistan. By June 2020, the scheme covered nearly 400 blocks in 111 border districts in 18 states and union territories.^[4] This scheme extends to development projects within 10 km of the border.^{[note 1]} Projects can include roads, bridges, health facilities, primary schools, irrigation and sports facilities.^[4] In 2019-20, the scheme was allotted ₹825 crore (US$120 million) while in 2020-21 it was allotted ₹784 crore (US$110 million).^[4]

In 1997, BADP started in Arunachal Pradesh. It first applied to the Indo-Myanmar Border and in 1998 was extended Indo-China and Indo-Bhutan borders.^[6] Even after ten years, BADP was unable to provide development to the over 1500 villages in the border blocks of Arunachal Pradesh; "the border blocks are yet to be opened up and are in utter backwardness due to their isolation and inaccessibility".^[6] A NITI Aayog evaluation study for the period 2007-2011 and published in 2015 found that while the heads of Gram Panchayats (GPs) gave positive feedback related to BADP, and while people have benefitted in some ways, the requirement of border villages in Arunachal Pradesh were so great that they couldn't be met by BADP in one go:^[7]

...of the 21 GPs surveyed, only six were connected by all-weather roads; electricity was available in only seven of them; tap water was available only in five; none of the GPs surveyed had fixed line telephones. Only two of the 21 GPs had PDS shops; some villages were almost 25 km away from these shops. Several villages did not even have primary schools and anganwadi centres.

Indo-China border in Arunachal Pradesh, status in 2009 (border blocks, villages in the block and population)^[6] show
District	Block	No of Villages	Pop (2001 census)
Tawang	Tawang	37	12949
Tawang	Kitpi	47	4853
West Kameng	Nafra	29	13644
East Kameng	Bameng	69	9244
East Kameng	Chayngtajo	68	10881
Kurung Kumey	Huri-Damin	32	2957
	Pipsorang	32	2206
	Sarli	36	1951
	Koloriang	52	4798
	Parsi-Parlo	43	3226
Upper Subansiri	Nacho	65	5249
Upper Subansiri	Siyum	48	4080
West Siang	Mechuka	45	6244
	Monigong	34	3025
	Kaying-Payum	25	5543
Upper Siang	Tuting	16	5874
Upper Siang	Singa-Gelling	18	1692
Lower Dibang Valley	Hunli	41	3114
Dibang Valley	Anini-Mipi	38	4344
	Etalin-Maliney	28	1575
	Aneli-Arzoo	34	1353
Anjaw	Chaglagam	42	2412
Anjaw	Hayuliang	92	10262
Total		962	121476

Notes[]

^ Development work in the area beyond 10 km is to start under BADP only after completion of the first 10 km.^[5]

References[]

Citations[]

^ Kurian 2014, p. Closing the Infrastructure Gap.
^ Rajagopalan 2013, p. 13.
^ Mukherjee 2019, Chapter 6.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Singh, Vijaita (2020-06-03). "India to boost infrastructure in areas along China border". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
^ NITI Aayog 2015, p. 5.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Border Area Development Programme in Arunachal Pradesh. Status on October 2009. Department of Planning, Government of Arunachal Pradesh. Retrieved on 19 January 2021.
^ NITI Aayog 2015, p. 42.

Sources[]

Kurian, Nimmi (2014). India-China Borderlands: Conversations beyond the Centre. SAGE Publishing India. ISBN 9789351504320.
Mukherjee, Kunal (2019). Conflict in India and China's Contested Borderlands: A Comparative Study. Routledge. ISBN 9780429677625.
Rajagopalan, Rajeswari Pillai; Prakash, Rahul (May 2013). Sino-Indian Border Infrastructure: An Update (PDF) (Report). Observer Research Foundation. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
NITI Aayog (June 2015). Evaluation Study on Border Area Development Programme (BADP) (PDF) (Report). NITI Aayog, Programme Evaluation Organisation, Government of India.