Guwahati: Even as the rhetoric surrounding Sino-Indian border tension shows signs of subsiding, those living in Arunachal Pradesh close to the border with China continue to live in fear of a possible incursion from the north.
The Hindi-Chini bhai bhai slogan was shattered by the 1962 war and four decades after that incident the neighbours may once again be shaking hands for the cameras. But in Arunachal Pradesh, close to the Sino-Indian border, villagers live in perpetual fear of Chinese incursion.
"The Chinese army might come here. The village is so close to China, our biggest threat is from them," says a woman at Arunachal's Chaglagam village.
Both countries deny incursions that reportedly happened recently in Leh but the news seems to have had an effect in Arunachal, portions of which China claims as its own territory.
"We want the Indian army to move from our village more towards the Chinese border," the woman says.
Development has hardly touched the villages near the border with China and the residents of the area say the border is porous.
"The borders almost merge. It is difficult to demarcate. People do come over," says a man at Halaikrong village.
On October 1, the Indian Army will visit the Chinese on their side as a gesture of friendship. It is a walk that carries with it the hope of the villagers that peace remains in their land.
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