Sela (Tawang): It has been close to 60 years since India fought a deadly war in the Himalayas. Lack of political foresight, the appointment of incompetent relatives as military commanders by the rulers and ignorance of all warnings resulted in India being humiliated in front of the entire world. Despite being poorly equipped and with little support, our soldiers fought bravely and showed their metal to the enemy.
One of the main battlegrounds was Sela Pass which was the main connecting point between Tawang and the rest of India. Rifleman Jaswant Singh, Mahavir Chakra was martyred here defending Indian land. Being located at 13,700 feet, the pass remains covered in snow most of the time and it was a challenge for Indian forces to keep the communication with the areas ahead of Sela Pass especially Tawang in case of its closure. In the past few decades, the Indian government had a policy of not developing infrastructure in border areas resulting in several intrusions by Chinese forces in these areas which were not reported in common forums. Sela Pass is the single most important factor in the Defence of Tawang which holds significant strategic and religious importance.
Buddha statue is pictured in Tawang near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), neighbouring China, in India’s Arunachal Pradesh state on October 21, 2021. Sela tunnel will improve connectivity in the region. Money SHARMA / AFP
First, it has one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in this region, it was the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama and carries very large importance in the Tibetan Buddhist Sects. When 14th and current Dalai Lama fled from China and came to India in 1959, he stayed for a long time in Tawang Monastery before moving to mainland India. China thinks that Tibet is incomplete without Tawang and hence been claiming its control over the area. The area around Tawang has about 108 lakes each one of which has good religious significance. The town was briefly captured by Chinese forces during the 1962 war but vacated later. Approach to Tawang from the Chinese side is very easy. There is Bumla Pass north of Tawang which connects this area with mainland Tibet (occupied by China) and reaching Tawang is a cakewalk for anyone who can cross Bumla pass.
Indian Army soldiers stand next to a M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzer positioned at Penga Teng Tso ahead of Tawang, near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), neighbouring China, in India’s Arunachal Pradesh state on October 20, 2021. Sela tunnel will help connect the region. Money SHARMA / AFP
Tawang also provides protection to Bhutan, our neighbour. If China is able to wrest its control over Tawang, it can easily enter into Bhutan which will be detrimental to the security of entire north-eastern India. Tawang also provides an air corridor through which the Chinese Airforce can enter the eastern part of India. So, it becomes of utmost importance for India to defend Tawang at all costs. Over these years, the biggest challenge for the Indian Army was to keep the communication lines open with Tawang and the areas ahead of it. Keeping in view of the recent Chinese aggressions in Dokalam and Eastern Ladakh, the possibility of another aggression in Arunachal Pradesh can not be ruled out and hence securing Tawang becomes even more important and all-weather connectivity with the area is the only answer to boost defence.
The present construction of the Sela Tunnel is a truly strategic achievement that will not only keep the communication lines open for the entire year but will also facilitate the movement of large vehicles, equipment’s, and machinery up to the Chinse border in case of an eventuality. It will also reduce the time and distance between Bomdila and Tawang significantly. With over 12 Km length, it is the longest bi-lane road tunnel beyond 13000 feet in the world and an epitome of military engineering. Imagine blasting off over 300kgs of explosives in a controlled environment below an old mountain and creating a place for heavy earth moving equipment to drill the rocks out. Despite the challenges, engineers of the Indian Army were successful in completing the drilling process and are determined to operationalise the tunnel much before its stipulated time in June 2022.
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Once this tunnel will be completed, it will serve two purposes, first is that it will secure the defence of Tawang by facilitating all year movement of forces and the second is since Tawang has significant religious importance, it will help in getting the place on the global tourist map. This wonder of nature will be open for the rest of the world which will also help develop the area as a major tourist attraction. Local Monpa people are happy with the construction of the tunnel that now they will be closer to the outside world.
(Major Amit Bansal (Retired) is a Defence Strategist with keen interests in International affairs, Maritime security, Terrorism and Internal Security. He is an author, blogger and poet.)
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