India inaugurates its longest bridge near China border

By Abdul Gani

GUWAHATI, India

India inaugurated its longest bridge near the Chinese border on Friday, connecting its disputed northeast Arunachal Pradesh region to the Assam province.

The 9.15-kilometer (5.7 miles) bridge was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said that state-of-the-art infrastructure is important for economic development.

The bridge will improve communication between two remote corners of India along the Lohit River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River, located only 100 km (62 mi) from the China border.

The bridge can sustain up to 60 tons of military equipment, though it will also be used for trade and commerce, officials said.

Parimal Suklabaidya, Assam's Public Wealth Department minister, said, “This was a need for the region. It will open up new opportunities through better communication. Not just in the security aspect but also in trade and commerce.”

The bridge will reduce travel time between the two provinces from the current six hours to just one hour -- a five-hour reduction -- and save fuel worth $15,509 every day, a government statement stated.

The location of the bridge is bound to raise to alarm bells for neighboring China, which has never enjoyed warm relations with India.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of its towering Tibetan plateau. In 1962 Chinese troops attacked the region, resulting in the Sino-Indian war. China reacted strongly when Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, who has been granted asylum by India, visited Arunachal Pradesh last month.

Independent analysts believe that the bridge will serve as a strategic war asset.

Nitin Gokhale, a security analyst, told Anadolu Agency, “The bridge is connecting Arunachal Pradesh, near the Chinese border, to the rest of the country. From a strategic point of view it allows India to send supplies to the army.”

“Besides, the army can travel faster using 60-ton battle tanks,” he said.