Himalayan Times (1962)

November 18, 1963

Hima,layan Times

Three

CHINA'S REAL
LIMITATIONS

New York, Nov. 13

The New York Times said
in an editorial tcday that
Communist China "has an army
of 2.5 million men, but Chinese
capacity to put large forces
into combat on the Indian
border has real and stubborn
limitations."

"Supply lines from the
developed areas of China to
the Himalayan fronts run from
1,000 to 2,000 miles across the
mountain-girl roof of the world,
the 16,000-ioof high Tibetan
plateau. This transport route
would daunt even a major
Power, and the drain muse be
enormous on Communist China,
with her fumbling, depressed
economy, attempting to support
the estimated 100,000 soldiers
now in forward positions in the
Himalayas.

"The Chinese air-transport
capacity is small. For years
the Chinese shortage of petro-
leum, of which a large pro-
portion comes from Russia, has
been so sever that main' Vehi-
cles on the China mainland
have fcien using charcoal instead
of gasoline. Shortage of trucks
has long been one of Com-
munist China's serious deficien-
cies. Food for the Himalayan
front must present a critical
problem since the rear areas,
for hundreds of miles, produce
but meagre agricultural output.

''The Chinese have pre-
viously sent armies into Tibet
and the Himalayas, but no
sustained compaign by a mass
army has ever been waged in
the Himalayas. The Chinese
threat, in short, is one that
could be checked by a tough
and resolute Indian defence.
The main sufferer, if such a
defence is marshalled could we!l
be Communist China rather

SIKKIM MAHARAJA'S
BIRTHDAY OBSERVED

Gangtok, Nov. 12
Hia Highness S i r
Tashi Namgyal's 69th
birthday was oelebrated
in Gangtok and other
towns in the State today.
Among thoBe who called
on the Maharaja this
morning were the Indian
Political Officer. Mr. I. J.
Bahadur Singh, the Dewan
of Sikkim, Mr. Balaswar
Prasad, high civil and
military officials, besides
a large number of citizens.

Sports events were
also organized in schools
and prizes were distributed
by the Maharaja.

In view of the Chi.
nese aggression on the
border, the celebrations
were held on a small scale.

EMERGENCY IN
SIKKIM

Gangtok, Nov. 13
The Maharaja of Sik-
kim today declared p.
state of emergency in view
of the border hostilities
between India and China.
■'*A grave emergency exists
whereby the security of
B kkim is threatned'', he
said.

than India. Tlie Peking regime
is notoriously fallible bcth as
a planner and as executant.
The shambles of the "great
leap forward," irith its wild
miscalculations and grossly bad
performance, stand as a hor-
rible testimony,"

CHAVAN AS UNION
DEFENCE M1N1STF.R
New Delhi, Nov. 11
An official announce-
ment this evening of Mr,
Y. B. Chavan's appoint-
ment as the country's
Defenoe Minister was ao
compauied by a Presi-
dential directive that
henceforth Mr. T.T. Krish-
namachari will be Minister
tor Econumic and Defence
Coordination.

Mr. K. Raghuramaiab,
at present Minister of
State in the Ministry of
Defence, will in future ba
Minister of Defence Pro-
duction.

AWARDS FOR GALLANTRY
ANNOUNCED
New Delhi, Nov. 12
The President has ap-
proved the immediate
award of Parain Vir
Chakra to Major Dhau
Singh Thapa of the Gor-
kba Rifles (posthumous)
and Subedar Joginder
Singh of the Sikh Regi-
ment (missing) for most
conspicuous bravery dis-
played in action against
th© Chinese invaders in
Ladakh and NEFA, res.
pectively.

Other award? for gal-
lantry in Ladakh and
NEFA announced tonight
include 13 Maha Vir Chak-
ra* and 19 Vir Cbtkras.
The recipients include
three ofucers of tia IAF.