BUM-LA (Line of Actual Control): With reduction of tension along the border with China, technical aids could replace soldiers at posts set up in hostile weather conditions, according to senior Army officials responsible for border management.

The Army and the Indian Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) man the observation posts and carry out patrols in high winds and temperatures up to minus 40 degrees centigrade.

Asked whether in the rarefied air that leads to memory loss, border management was possible through electronic aids, commanding officer of the "Korea Brigade" Brig. Sanjay Kulkarni said: ``All this [border post meeting] is towards that end. Once peace and tranquillity prevail, what you are saying might become true.''

Both countries are already taking steps towards that direction.

About a km from the Army's Bumla hut, a dark structure rises above a jagged, snow covered peak.

It is an electronic surveillance post set up at a cost of Rs. 2.5 crores. It detects and records movement of men and cattle to the other side and help in their early return.

The Chinese are also said to have similar devices on their side and reported to have informed the Indians about violation by their patrols.

The devices also reduce the possibility of patrols from both sides reaching the same place simultaneously.

Morning of bonhomie

``When our men or the devices detect a movement by their patrol, we don't send our troops. They also do the same. As a result, there have been no confrontations,'' said an officer of the six-member delegation that walked across to the Chinese side on October 30 for a morning of bonhomie and serious talks.

Moss covered bunkers

As one begins the steep 5,000-feet climb to Bum-La from the monastery-town of Tawang, moss covered but abandoned bunkers sidled along tree-less slopes tell the story of the tension that prevailed since 1962 when the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China marched through this pass to take the town.

In a sign of ebbing of tensions, the bunkers now give the impression of being derelict.

Officers point out the sharp difference in troop disposition here, compared to the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Hardly any weapons are seen.

The border meeting began with soldiers, media personnel and a few civilians remembering the instructions given to them while crossing over.

No gifts were to be accepted and under no condition were people other than the delegation members to interact with the other side. The PLA men would not like to speak to newspersons, we were told.

The PLA troops sat stiffly inside their trucks and craned their necks through openings to size up the Indians.

Soon cameras emerged from bulky trench coats and both sides began getting photographed with guards outside the closed tent where talks were going on.

Having exhausted that option, soldiers, newspersons and civilians began shouting to each other for joint photographs.

The Military Police had to be sent to lower the decibel level outside.

An hour later, the tent was opened to reveal Indian Army and PLA officers on either side of well-stocked tables.

Wine from Yunan province, spicy chicken feet and sugared cashew nuts dissolved the remaining reservations.

As the official delegation handed over incense sticks, marble chess boards, beedis and perfumes to the PLA troops, a more informal exercise of exchanging or selling gifts was carried out between the Indians and PLA soldiers who had long back abandoned their vigil from military trucks.

Different environment

Yuan notes were exchanged for Indian currency amidst cheerful but hard bargaining. Cigarette packets too began taking their way to the other side.

``This is a totally different environment from the border with Pakistan. You have seen how much tranquillity prevails and the manner in which we met each other,'' said Brig. Kulkarni.

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