A political controversy has erupted over reported remarks by Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Director General Shatrujeet Kapur that the force’s elite Shaurya platoon is handling a face-off with Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh. The reported statement has prompted Congress to question the Centre’s handling of relations with China and demand an explanation over the situation along the border.
Kapur reportedly made the remarks on Thursday during the Himveer Samman ceremony at the ITBP’s Central Training College in Alwar, Rajasthan. The comments came amid ongoing efforts by India and China to improve bilateral ties following years of military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
According to the report, the ITBP chief said the Shaurya platoon was successfully dealing with a face-off in Arunachal Pradesh, drawing political attention to the situation along the India-China border.
During the event, Kapur reportedly said tensions between India and China persisted despite Chinese President Xi Jinping’s participation in the 18th BRICS Summit in India and three high-level engagements between the two countries since July.
These engagements included meetings under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), talks between the Special Representatives of the two countries and Corps Commander-level discussions.
The ITBP chief also highlighted the growing role of drones in modern warfare, saying that unmanned aerial systems had significantly changed conventional combat. The force is working to develop its drone capabilities while strengthening measures to counter hostile drones, according to the reported remarks.
Kapur also reportedly said the ITBP was constructing underground shelters to protect its resources in areas near the LAC.
The Congress raised the issue following the reported remarks, with party MP Jairam Ramesh accusing the government of maintaining silence over the alleged confrontations with Chinese troops.
In a post on X, Ramesh linked the issue to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on China in June 2020.
“India is paying the price for the infamous clean chit given to China by the Prime Minister on 19 June 2020,” Ramesh wrote.
He further alleged that the government’s approach towards China involved concessions even as the ITBP chief had reportedly spoken about the force’s performance during recent face-offs with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Congress has called for an explanation from the government over the reported developments. The remarks attributed to the ITBP chief have brought the border situation back into the political debate.
India and China have been working to restore relations after reaching an understanding in October 2024 to end a military standoff in eastern Ladakh that had continued for more than four years. The prolonged confrontation had severely strained bilateral ties, bringing relations to their lowest point in decades.
Xi visited India on September 12 and 13 to attend the BRICS Summit, marking his first visit to the country in seven years. He also held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review relations between the two countries.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, speaking at an Asia Society event in New York in late September, said India-China relations were in a better position than they had been a couple of years earlier.