Tension Rising at India-China Border
China and India, the world's two most populous nations, are currently in a tense face-off in the Himalayas. Watch our latest videos for all the details.
China and India the world's two most populous nations. They are currently in a tense face-off in the Himalayas. India and China share a border more than 3,440km long and there are areas which both the countries claim are theirs. The border patrol often bump into each other and sometimes have scuffles but both sides have insisted that since 40 years no bullet has been fired. The poorly demarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC) separates the two countries. The LAC can shift as there are rivers, lakes and snow-capped mountains so the soldiers often come close to confrontation. Officials have said thousands of Chinese troops have forced their way into the Galwan valley in Ladakh. Chinese forces put up tents, dug trenches. It also moved heavy equipment several kilometres inside India’s territory. This is because India built roads and bridges in the area which are a hundred kilometres long.
Ajai Shukla, Indian military expert who was a colonel in the army said, "The normally peaceful Galwan River has now become a hotspot because the LAC is closest to the new road India has built. If there is a conflict, this road could increase India’s capability to move men and material quickly. The situation is serious. The Chinese have come into a territory which they themselves accepted as part of India. It has completely changed its view.”India's decision to build such a road and make changes in the infrastructure has angered China.
Reports in the Indian media said soldiers from the two sides clashed on two occasions in Ladakh. The current military tension is in Ladakh and also in Naku La, the border between China and Sikkim. China has a different view; Chinese Global Times said, “The Galwan Valley region is Chinese territory, and the local border control situation was very clear."Dr Long Xingchun, president of the Chengdu Institute of World Affairs (CIWA) said, "According to the Chinese military, India has entered into the Galwan valley. So, China is angry.”
Tensions between India and China have been rising for a long time now. When India decided to convert Jammu and Kashmir into a Union territory and make Ladakh a separate UT, it made changes to the map of the area. The new Ladakh included Aksai Chin, an area India which is India’s but is controlled by China.
Additionally, China was unhappy when India initially banned all exports of medical and protective equipment as India was storing up its stocks after the coronavirus pandemic started. Former Indian diplomat P Stobdan, an expert in Ladakh and India-China affairs said, "We routinely see both armies crossing the LAC. It is common and such incidents are resolved at the local military level. But this time, the build-up is the largest ever seen.”
The stand-off is happening in some important areas that are important for India. If Pangong Lake is taken, Ladakh can't be defended. If the Chinese military is allowed to settle in the valley of Shyok, then the Nubra valley and even Siachen can be reached."
