There has been lot of news, comments and alarm due to tension in relations between China and India over the unresolved boundary question. Some of the reports in the media have not been based on truth. The statements of retiring/working service chiefs have created alarm in people's mind. On September 18, P.M. said that media reports were painting an inaccurate picture of conditions on Indo-China border. Next day Union Home Ministry decided to file F.I.R. against two Times of India reporters who filed a false story claiming Indian soldiers had been injured in firing by the Chinese. Some have called government action as violation of right of free speech and expression. This raises an important question. Has the right of free speech and expression no limits? Can any foreign power use it to plant false stories to destroy good relations between India and a friendly nation?

Both China and India are the biggest nations in terms of population in not only Asia, but also the world. Both are old civilizations, which fell behind Europe in 18th century and missed Industrial Revolution, resulting in occupation of their lands by European nations. In 20th century, both woke up and succeeded in forcing foreign powers to withdraw from most of their lands. Both are trying to modernize and remove poverty. Both have advanced and become nuclear powers and major industrial and economic powers. Yet both have long distance to go to come at par with advanced nations. It is in their interest, as well as the interest of Asia and the world, that both live peacefully, and resolve their differences peacefully. If they cannot do this, the story of Asia will become similar to Europe, where France and Germany fought each other to the benefit of others.

Who will benefit, if China and India became enemies? Obviously, the US. It has been American policy since India became independent to encourage bad relations between India and China. Its ambition of world hegemony requires it to follow the policy of divide and dominate - China against India in Asia, Western Europe against Eastern Europe in the case of Europe. Hence the suspicion needle points to show that reports in India are U.S. inspired.

An example will illustrate the U.S. tactics and geo-politics. After Pakistan killed 3 million and drove away 10 million people of East Pakistan to take shelter in India in eight months in 1971, it bombed India on December 3, 1971. Next day Indian army marched in eastern Pakistan. After only four days of war, General Farman Ali, the army commander in Dacca, got permission from Dictator Yahya Khan to ask India for cease fire, as Pak army could not fight any more. But the US and China asked Pakistan to continue the war as both were going to help Pakistan. On December 10, US asked China to attack India, with the intention that China and Pakistan on one side and Soviet Union and India on the other would kill each other and US would enjoy as onlooker. But the Chinese were too clever to fall in the trap. They told the US that US spoke in two voices- they said that they would help Pakistan in one voice and in another voice they said they were even handed. Hence China did not attack India and made only verbal noises, but the US sent 7th Fleet to prevent Indian attack on West Pakistan. West Pakistan was thus saved.

Some have suggested that foreign arms manufacturers created present alarm for their benefit by using their past contacts with retired/serving military brass. Compared to the big problems facing both China and India, boundary question is minor one. They should not spoil their relations over a minor question.

China has advanced in production of nuclear weapons and missiles more than India. This gives a wrong impression to many in India that China is far ahead of India in technology. India is ahead of China in some fields of technology. Even in nuclear field, India is ahead of China in production of nuclear power plants. India made its first indigenous nuclear power plant in 1981. China made its own nuclear power plant in 1992. India made its first nuclear explosion in 1974 against China's first test in 1964.

China got help in 1950s in technology from Soviet Union. After that China got isolated in the world. It could not get foreign help and fell behind India, which was in contact with all foreign countries. It was only in 1990s that Russia gave modern military planes and tanks to China. Even now China like India has not been able to produce world class fighters. But Indian Air Force has continuously purchased modern fighters from Russia and West.
Air Chief Marshall P.V. Naik said on September 23,09 that China has 3 times fighter planes than India. This alarmed people unnecessarily. Out of 3,000 fighters in PLAAF, 2200 are obsolete made by China on Soviet Union's 1950 models. Among modern planes, it has 150 Soviet made Su27 and 100 Su30. Rest are Chinese made improved models of old fighters. Moreover, China cannot station all of them in Tibet against us, as it has other long borders to defend. We should not forget that China attacked Vietnam in 1979 to teach it a lesson in true Middle Kingdom tradition. In the event, Vietnam proved to be a bad pupil and gave China as good as it got. Vietnam was a small, weak, backward country after terrible bombing by US till 1975. If little Vietnam is not scared of China, it is ridiculous that Indians should be afraid of China.

David Shambaugh, an American world famous expert on China's military strength has written that China was concerned after India's nuclear test in 1998. One Chinese newspaper, Jaifengjun Bao wrote on the composition of order of battle of Indian forces. It showed how much more advanced Indian forces were than PLA in virtually all categories of conventional forces. The paper further wrote, "through 50 years of efforts, India now boasts of a mighty army."

One reason why many in India are alarmed, is the memory of 1962. But things have changed since then. 2009 is not the same as 1962. Both India and China have changed since then, as well as the world power balance. We have to be cautious, but not alarmed. An objective assessment of forces on Tibetan border has to be made based on good intelligence, so that we will not come out second best in any border skirmish. If more forces are required on the border, we can easily afford the expenditure now without damage to our economic growth, which is important for our defensive strength.

One possible reason of recent statements on China by India's military brass can be to put pressure on government to increase our military strength, as required in their judgment. This is wrong method. It is the duty and responsibility of military to give advice and their judgment to government i.e. defense department. Public statements are harmful in as much as they create panic in public mind. What is needed to assure public, is - yes we can - in Obama's words.

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