Triggering a major diplomatic row, China has refused to permit an Indian army general to visit that country as he is in-charge of “sensitive” Jammu and Kashmir, prompting an angry retaliation by India, which put all defence exchanges with it on hold till the matter was sorted.
India, which has already lodged its protest for denying permission to Lt Gen B S Jaswal, head of the army’s Udhampur-based Northern Command, today said the Chinese action amounts to questioning the status of Jammu and Kashmir, which is “unacceptable”, as it relates to the country’s sovereignty.
In retaliatory action, New Delhi refused permission to three Chinese officers — a senior Colonel and two Captains — to visit this country in August.
Lt Gen Jaswal was to visit China as part of defence exchanges, sources said here today. The visit by a General-rank officer was agreed upon between the two countries in January, during the Annual Defence Dialogue, the sources said. At the time, it was not decided as to who would be sent by India, they said.
When India conveyed its decision to send Gen Jaswal, China wrote back on July 21 saying it would cause “difficulty” as the officer came from the “sensitive location of Jammu and Kashmir”, the sources said. China also said “people from this part of the world come with a different kind of visa” and suggested India send some other officer, instead of cancelling the visit.
India then issued a demarche (protest note) on August 2. It also refused permission to a senior Colonel who had to deliver a “guest lecture” at the National Defence College here and two Captains who were to visit Panchmarhi for some course. New Delhi made it clear that defence exchanges will remain “on hold” till China’s position on J&K is satisfactorily addressed.
The sources noted China had been, for the past two years, refusing to stamp visas on passports of people hailing from J and K and instead was issuing these on loose sheets of paper. India had strongly protested at this but China hadn’t relented.
While defence exchanges such as visits by officials and training programmes would remain suspended, border personnel meetings will continue. It may be noted that Gen Jaswal had earlier visited China.
As a matter of fact, his interaction would have helped in better management of the Line of Actual Control in the Ladakh region.The sources observed that China had lately become more “assertive” in its approach with regard to territorial matters, particularly those involving disputes in South China and the East China Sea.
India needs to be alert, they said, adding that dialogue channels have to be kept open.
