#India-China LAC disengagement

[nohkalikai]

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Activist calls for border march in Ladakh to mark land lost to China

The march would be taken out in the north and south banks of Pangong Tso lake, Demchok, Chushul among others along the Line of Actual Control with China; two dates are shortlisted — March 27 and April 7

Around 10,000 people from Ladakh will march to the border along China this month to showcase how much land has been lost to the neighbouring country, climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk said on Tuesday.

Mr. Wangchuk has been protesting in open in sub-zero temperature in Leh, surviving only on salt and water for the past 14 days, to demand constitutional safeguards for the Union Territory.

“We know from the shepherds that they are not allowed [anymore] to go to the places that they always used to go. In particular areas, they are stopped kilometres before where they used to go earlier. We will go and show whether land has been lost or not,” Mr. Wangchuk said.

The march would be taken out in Finger area (north and south bank of Pangong Tso), Demchok, Chushul among others along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

He said two dates have been shortlisted for the march — March 27 and April 7.

“The march will also highlight the areas, prime pasture lands, that are being turned into solar parks. On one hand, nomads are losing their land to corporates who are coming to set up their plants, maybe mining in future. Nomads will lose 150,000 sq km of prime pasture land, on the other hand they are losing pasture land to China which is encroaching from the north, the Chinese have captured huge chunks of land in the last few years,” he said.

After the June 15, 2020 incident in Galwan where 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent clashes with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, several rounds of talks between the two armies have taken place leading to disengagement and creation of buffer zones or no-go areas. These areas in eastern Ladakh were regularly patrolled before April 2020 when China started amassing troops close to the LAC. At least 26 patrolling points out of total 65 PPs in Eastern Ladakh are not being patrolled due to the border dispute.

At the centre of Mr. Wangchuk’s protest that has received huge support from the locals is the failure of talks between Ladakh civil society leaders and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 4.

The members of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) representing the Buddhist majority and Shia Muslim dominated regions respectively in Ladakh, are jointly protesting for Statehood for Ladakh, inclusion of Ladakh in the sixth schedule of the constitution thus giving it a tribal status, job reservation for locals and a parliamentary seat each for Leh and Kargil.

Though ministry officials had in previous rounds of meetings agreed to examine how the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution can be implemented in Ladakh’s context, the meeting with Mr. Shah “did not result in any positive outcome”.

“Government has been declining to keep their promise on Sixth Schedule. The Home Minister said we cannot give this but we will give you some constitutional safeguard,” Mr. Wangchuk said adding that he wants to awaken the people of India to this “breach of trust”.

“People are disillusioned, disenchanted and angry. There is no chance BJP will win a seat here in the upcoming elections. But this is not only for Ladakh, am trying to awaken the nation, if this is how election promises are honoured, then elections are a joke. Why did we vote this party to power twice?” he said. Ladakh’s only parliamentary seat was won by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2014 and 2019.

After the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution was revoked by the Parliament on August 5, 2019, Ladakh was turned into a Union Territory without any legislative assembly.

[beardedmrbean]

India says it has lodged a "strong protest" with China over a new map that lays claim to its territory.

Indian media have reported that the map shows the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh and the disputed Aksai Chin plateau as China's territory.

It was released by China's ministry of natural resources on Monday.

"We reject these claims as they have no basis," India's foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

He added that such steps by China "only complicate the resolution of the boundary question".

Beijing has not officially responded yet.

India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar also called China's claim "absurd".

"China has even in the past put out maps which claim the territories which are not China's, which belong to other countries. This is an old habit of theirs," he told TV channel NDTV on Tuesday.

India's protest comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke on the sidelines of the Brics summit in South Africa. An Indian official said afterwards that the two countries had agreed to "intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation" along the disputed border.

Shadow of 60-year-old war at India-China flashpoint

The Indian monastery town coveted by China

India has often reacted angrily to China's attempts to stake claim to its territory.

The source of the tension between the neighbours is a disputed 3,440km (2,100 mile)-long de facto border along the Himalayas - called the Line of Actual Control, or LAC - which is poorly demarcated. The presence of rivers, lakes and snowcaps means the line can shift in places.

Soldiers on either side come face to face at many points, which can spark tensions - the last time being in December when Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the border in the town of Tawang.

China says it considers the whole of Arunachal Pradesh its territory, calling it "South Tibet" - a claim India firmly rejects. India claims the Aksai Chin plateau in the Himalayas, which is controlled by China.

In April, Delhi reacted sharply to China's attempts to rename 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh, saying the state would always be "an "integral and inalienable part of India".

Relations between India and China have worsened since 2020, when their troops were involved in a deadly clash at the Galwan valley in Ladakh - it was the first fatal confrontation between the two sides since 1975.

[thegoldenstar]

Everyone in Ladakh knows China has taken away our land: Rahul Gandhi

On Sunday last, Gandhi had claimed that Modi's statement that not an inch of the land in Ladakh has been taken over by China is not true.

KARGIL: Raking up the border issue, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said every individual in Ladakh knows that China has “taken away our land” and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that not an inch of land was taken away was “absolutely false.”

The former Congress president’s remarks come after Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a conversation on Wednesday on the sidelines of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg.

The conversation was not a structured bilateral meeting and was an informal one.

“I visited the whole of Ladakh on my motorcycle over the past week. Ladakh is a strategic place and when I was at Pangong lake, one thing was clear that China had taken over thousands of kilometers of Indian land. Unfortunately, the prime minister during an opposition meeting makes a statement that not an inch of our land was taken away which is ‘absolutely false’,” he said addressing a public meeting here on the last day of his nine-day tour of Ladakh.

“Every individual of Ladakh knows that China has taken away our land and the prime minister is not speaking the truth,” he alleged.

This is the second time during his Ladakh tour that the Congress leader has raked up the border issue with China.

On Sunday last, Gandhi had claimed that Modi’s statement that not an inch of the land in Ladakh has been taken over by China is not true.

India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Thursday said Modi conveyed to Xi India’s concerns on the “unresolved” issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, underlining that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in border areas was essential for normalisation of India-China ties.

The ties between India and China came under severe strain following the eastern Ladakh border row that began in May, 2020.

The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in an over three-year confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.

During the public meeting, Gandhi also extending support to Leh-based Apex body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which are fighting for full statehood and safeguards under sixth schedule of the Constitution, and said his party would not allow the BJP to hand over the resource-rich land of the union territory to its corporate friend.

The former Congress president said he was briefed by the people about their demand for political representation, safeguards for land, culture and language, unemployment, non-functional Kargil airport and the problem of cell phone coverage.

“I heard you and want to convey that the Congress is standing with you in your struggle, whether linked to the demand for safeguards or employment issues. All the people know that Ladakh is rich in natural resources. The 21st century is of solar energy and Ladakh has no dearth of it,” he said.

“The BJP knows and understands that if you will be given (political) representation, they cannot snatch your land,” he said and alleged that the “BJP wants to take your land for (industrialist Gautam) Adani and we will not allow this to happen”.

The two powerful bodies are jointly campaigning to press for their four-point demands, including full statehood, safeguards under sixth schedule of the Constitution, creation of two separate parliamentary constituencies for Leh and Kargil districts, recruitment and job reservation for the youth of Ladakh.

Both the Apex body and KDA, which is a separate amalgam of socio-religious, political and youth organisations of Leh and Kargil districts, were formed after the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into Union territories of J-K and Ladakh.

The BJP Ladakh unit was also part of the Apex body but later distanced itself after it raised the demand for full statehood.

In an apparent reference to Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast, Gandhi said, “Some are speaking what is in their heart but I came here to know what is in your heart. One thing is clear that the ideology of Gandhi and Congress exists in the blood and DNA of the people of Ladakh.”

He said migrant labourers from different parts of the country, including Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, told him that they feel that Ladakh is their second home as locals are lending a helping hand whenever they come forward to seek their support.

Referring to his Bharat Jodo Yatra from September 7, 2022 to January 30, 2023, he said the only goal of the foot march was to stand up against the “hatred and violence being spread by BJP and RSS” in the country and spread the message of love and brotherhood.

“The yatra was not supposed to end in Srinagar but in Ladakh. The administration did not allow us to continue the march due to harsh winter and we accepted it. My visit is in continuation of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. I visited every nook and corner of the region on the motorcycle and heard the people,” he said.

He also thanked the people of Kargil for always standing with the country during crisis and war, and said, “All the people in the country, irrespective of their religion, language and culture are equal for us and we all want to live together with love and respect.”

Gandhi described Ladakh as the most beautiful region of the country and assured the people that he will raise both their local and central issues during the next Parliament session.

After his over 15-minute long address, Gandhi walked past the security cover to interact with the gathering amid chants of ‘Jodo Jodo Bharat Jodo’.

Besides the working president of Ladakh Congress Asgar Ali Karbalai, National Conference leader and co-chairman of KDA Qamar Ali Akhnoon, AICC in-charge of J-K and Ladakh Rajni Patel were present at the public rally.

[printscore25]

LAC : Sino India Relationship

Over the past 3 years, the two asian giants are locked in a standoff. The standoff which started with provocative action by PLA led to casualties on both sides. Even after 3 years and 17 rounds of commander level meeting the issue remains unsolved in Debsang Bulge and Demchok.And both sides seem adamant for their part in the negotiations.One point worth discussing is that it's disengagement and moving behind a few kilometres not de-induction.

What is even more interesting is the reason for the entire fiasco by the chinese side. Experts have claimed multiple reasons for the action by the Chinese side.While we keep reading about headlines like it was purely a propaganda coup due to internal problems in china due to covid, some say due to abrogation of Article 370, etc. However, these could have played a part if we look at other aspects for standoff could be India's improved Infrastructure all along the LAC, a growing chinese assertiveness all along the areas of dispute whether be SCS or ECS or spartly islands dispute.Another reason could be to test India's preparedness in case of all out war for Taiwan & India's ability to change status quo of LAC during the taiwan conflict.

Also, at times the newspaper headline flashes with articles "India lost 1000's of sq. km of area."However, if we were to look at the actual ground situation then we could make much more pragmatic analysis of the entire standoff. The standoff resulted in areas of no patrolling which lead to very small pockets of grey areas where the border remains undefined.It is important to note that due to different line of perception, before the standoff both sides had patrolling rights to the current buffer zones created.

However, the bigger points of friction like that of Demchok and Debsang could not be looked through the same prism where line of perception varies vastly.

The chinese side seems to have not gained much strategic advantage with the entire standoff. For them it's a slap on the face as India is neither intimidated nor seems to give in to the pressure tactics. Rather it has led to unprecedented response from the Indian side to deter the PLA.

On the other hand, another interesting aspect is how western countries still have not gotten out of their western centric view assuming India needs their help to tackle the standoff.

Instead the army launched an operation called "Snow Leopard" in response to the unilateral action by china and took chinese by surprise and forced the chinese side for negotiations.

In the last 3 years the Army has inducted state of the art military equipment, has upgraded the existing airfields and the Advanced Landing Ground (ALGs) and built new Helipads, airstrips and improved connectivity with modern infrastructure even in the remotest areas of the Eastern sector.

What lays ahead for both sides is to resolve the remaining disputes and demarcate the boundary as neither has gained much and the entire standoff has resulted in stalemate.

[uniqueeval]

The Hindu Morning Digest: August 30, 2024

People Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers and tanks during military disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at the India-China border in Ladakh. | Photo Credit: AFP India, China hold 31st border affairs meeting to resolve standoff at LAC India and China had a “frank, constructive and forward-looking exchange of views” on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to “narrow…

[tfgadgets]

The Hindu Morning Digest: August 30, 2024

People Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers and tanks during military disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at the India-China border in Ladakh. | Photo Credit: AFP India, China hold 31st border affairs meeting to resolve standoff at LAC India and China had a “frank, constructive and forward-looking exchange of views” on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to “narrow…

[kimskashmir]

India, China hold diplomatic talks, agree to uphold peace on LAC

NEW DELHI — India and China on Wednesday agreed to uphold peace and tranquillity on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) during another round of diplomatic talks, though there were no signs of any breakthrough towards disengagement at friction points in Ladakh sector. The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs met in New Delhi for the 16th time since…

[delhinewsinenglish]

India, China hold fresh round of military talks

India and China agreed to maintain "peace and tranquillity" on the ground in border areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh during a fresh round of high-level military talks earlier this week.

However, there was no clear forward movement at Monday's talks in resolution of the more than three-and-half-year lingering row in a number of friction points, people familiar with the matter said.

The 21st round of the India-China corps commander level meeting was held at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on February 19, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

"The discussions built on the previous rounds, seeking complete disengagement in the remaining areas along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh as an essential basis for restoration of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas," it said in a statement.

The MEA said the two sides shared their perspectives on the matter in the talks held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere.

"The two sides have agreed to maintain communication on the way ahead through the relevant military and diplomatic mechanisms," it said.

"They also committed to maintain peace and tranquillity on the ground in the border areas in the interim," the MEA added.

Source : India, China hold fresh round of military talks

[iasguidance]

India-China LAC | Buffer zones to Depsang to Demchok: Spotlight on pullback plan, the extent

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to intensify efforts for expeditious disengagement and de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, the spotlight is now on the exact contours of plans being drawn up by military commanders on the ground to pull back troops.  About the Depsang Plains issue The Depsang Plains issue began in…

[werindialive]

PM Modi & and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a brief discussion, and speculation for bilateral ties made the rounds

PM Modi engaged with Chinese President Xi Jinping briefly where he talked about maintaining peace and tranquillity and also respecting the Line of Actual Control (LAC). He said it is essential if both countries want to maintain peace and normal bilateral relations.

Addressing a media briefing, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra told the details of the brief interaction between the two leaders. The two engaged in a conversation on the margins of the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) Summit in Johannesburg.

“On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, the prime minister interacted with other BRICS leaders. In a conversation with President Xi Jinping of China, the prime minister highlighted India’s concerns on the unresolved issues along the LAC in the western sector of the India-China border areas,” Kwatra told the press.

“Prime minister underlined that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalization of the India-China relationship,” he added.

Qwatra also disclosed that the two leaders agreed to “direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation”, Kwatra said.

Those who understand the details of the matter claimed that the two world leaders engaged in several interactions during the summit. This particular conversation took place during a pull-aside on Wednesday.

South Africa’s public broadcaster SABC showed Xi and PM Modi engaged in a full conversation. However brief, this conversation between the two leaders before a news conference at BRICS on Thursday attracted a lot of viewership.

Earlier, the two had a short encounter during last year’s G20 Summit in Bali. Both Xi & and Modi were attending the dinner hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on November 16, 2022.

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[ias-next-lucknow]

Hot Springs and Gogra Post

After Chinese troops’ incursion in eastern Ladakh in 2020, Patrolling Point 15 (PP15) in Hot Springs and PP17A near Gogra Post were among the four friction points between the two armies, the other two being PP14 in Galwan Valley and the north bank of Pangong Tso.

In a major breakthrough, the Indian and Chinese sides have started disengaging at Patrolling Point (PP15) in the Gogra-Hot spring region of eastern Ladakh. This comes after the armies reached a consensus in the 16th round of the India-China Corps Commander level meet.

Location:

Gogra Post is east of the point where the Chang Chenmo river takes a hairpin bend coming southeast from Galwan Valley and turning southwest.

The area is north of the Karakoram Range of mountains, which lies north of the Pangong Tso lake, and south east of Galwan Valley.

Significance of Hot Springs and the Gogra Post:

The area is adjacent to Kongka Pass, one of the main passes that China claims marks the boundary between India and China.

India’s claim to the international boundary lies significantly east, covering the whole Aksai Chin region.

Hot Springs and Gogra Post are located at the boundary between two of China’s most historically troubled provinces (Xinjiang and Tibet).

What is the importance of Disengagement on Hot Springs and the Gogra Post?

The disengagement in the Hot springs-Gogra region will de-escalate the border tension with China as it officially ends the eye-to-eye confrontation at all new friction points created by the PLA in 2020.

The regions, PP15 and PP17A, are located in an area where India and China largely agree on the LAC alignment.

After the 2020 ingress, there was a significant build-up of the Chinese troops and deployment of heavy weapons in Hot springs-Gogra region

Kongka Pass Location:

Kongka Pass, also known as the Kongka La, is a low mountain pass that cuts through the Chang Chenmo Valley. It is located in Ladakh, on the disputed India-China border.

Galwan Valley Location:

The valley is strategically placed between Ladakh in the west and Aksai Chin in the east, both of which are currently under China’s control as part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Read more :... https://iasnext.com/hot-springs-and-gogra-post-upsc-current-affairs/

[news-venue]

LAC situation 'generally stable', take long-term view: Chinese defence minister to Rajnath

China's defence ministry on Friday said the situation at the border is “generally stable” amid border row with India. The two sides should take a long-term view, China's Defence Minister General Li Shangfu told his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.

A day after India gave a strong response to China saying that the violation of the border pacts has "eroded" the entire basis of bilateral ties, China's defence ministry on Friday said the situation at the border is “generally stable”. Both sides should put the boundary issue in an “appropriate position” and promote its transition to “normalised management”, China's defence ministry said.

China's defence minister told his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh that "it is hoped that the two sides will work together to continuously enhance mutual trust between the two militaries".

The statement of the Chinese defence minister, General Li Shangfu, came a day after he held a meeting with his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, where the latter reiterated that violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations and disengagement at the border would logically be followed with de-escalation.

A Chinese Defence Ministry statement issued on Friday said that during the meeting the two sides exchanged views on militaries and bilateral relations, PTI reported.

On Thursday, General Li Shangfu held a 45-minute long meeting with Rajnath Singh on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers' meeting. This is Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu's first visit to Delhi since the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.

TWO SIDES SHOULD TAKE LONG-TERM VIEW

General Li Shangfu pointed out that “currently, the situation on the China-India border is generally stable and the two sides have maintained communication through military and diplomatic channels”.

“The two sides should take a long-term view, place the border issue in an appropriate position in bilateral relations, and promote the transition of the border situation to normalised management,” he was quoted as saying by the PTI.

“It is hoped that the two sides will work together to continuously enhance mutual trust between the two militaries and make proper contributions to the development of bilateral relations,” Li told his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh.

WHAT DID INDIA SAY AFTER THE MEETING?

Meanwhile, India, in reference to a 3-year-old standoff along with their disputed border in Ladakh, said China had eroded the “entire basis” of ties between the countries by flouting bilateral agreements.

A communique released after the meeting read: "The Raksha Mantri categorically conveyed that development of relations between India and China is premised on the prevalence of peace and tranquillity at the borders".

"He added that all issues at the LAC need to be resolved in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and commitments. He reiterated that violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations and disengagement at the border will logically be followed with de-escalation," the statement added.

Last week, India and China held the 18th round of Corps Commander-level talks at the Chushul-Moldo meeting point in eastern Ladakh. The two sides discussed confidence-building measures and ways to avoid confrontation at the borders in the coming months.

The SCO is an influential economic and security bloc and has emerged as one of the largest trans regional international organisations. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became permanent members in 2017.

[rnewspost]

Lac: LAC row: India, China discuss proposal for disengagement in remaining friction points | India News

NEW DELHI: The 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held in Beijing on Wednesday. This was the first in-person WMCC meeting since the 14th meeting held in July 2019. The WMCC was established in 2012 to provide a platform for consultations and coordination between India and China on border affairs. The 26th meeting was…

[thegoldenstar]

PM Modi meets Xi Jinping on sidelines of BRICS

The two leaders also agreed to direct relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation, the foreign secretary said.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday raised the unresolved issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a brief interaction between the two on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa on Thursday.

“The prime minister underlined that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas, and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation of the India-China relationship,” foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a press briefing.

Following this, the two leaders agreed to direct relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation, the foreign secretary added. The two leaders were also seen shaking hands and exchanging courtesies after the joint conference of the BRICS leaders.

However, there was no official word on whether President Xi confirmed his in-person participation in the upcoming G20 Summit in Delhi. In Johannesburg, the leaders of the BRICS nations decided to admit six more countries to the grouping — Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The new members will become part of BRICS with effect from January 1, 2024.

“We have taken the decision to expand this forum. India has always fully supported the expansion as it will make BRICS stronger and effective,’’ said Prime Minister Modi while welcoming the new members. Earlier in the day, Modi held bilaterals with leaders of South Africa, Iran, Ethiopia, the UAE, Mozambique, and Senegal.

Russia will host the next BRICS meet in 2024 in the Russian city of Kazan. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the Johannesburg meet virtually. Putin faces arrest if he travels abroad following an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes.

Meanwhile, among the 94 points that were listed in the Johannesburg Declaration, there were mentions of seeking reforms in the UN, trade in local currencies, the G20 Summit and countering terrorism.

“We support a comprehensive reform of the UN, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more democratic, representative, effective and efficient, and to increase the representation of developing countries in the Council’s memberships,’’ said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

No double standards on terrorism: BRICS The BRICS nations on Thursday rejected “double standards” in countering terrorism and vowed to work towards confronting the menace including cross-border movement of terrorists. The grouping called for expeditious adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism within the UN framework

[mariacallous]

In the early hours of Dec. 9, a few hundred Chinese soldiers armed with batons, spikes, and other primitive weapons tried to dislodge an Indian Army outpost on a ridge on the disputed border between India’s easternmost state, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tibet, which is governed by China. The Indian Army warded off the attackers, but the clash was fierce, injuring 34 Indian soldiers.

New Delhi blamed Beijing for trying to “unilaterally change the status quo,” while the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said it was conducting a regular patrol when its troops were “blocked by the Indian Army illegally crossing” the border, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Two days later, local military commanders from both sides agreed to a disengagement that prevents an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation at the ridge, near the edge of the Yangtse plateau. Still, Chinese and Indian soldiers remain separated by just 500 feet.

This month’s clash is not a one-off. Arunachal Pradesh has been the site of regular skirmishes in recent months, even as tensions remain high in the Ladakh region on the western section of the China-India border. Chinese provocations in the east reflect a breakdown of Indian deterrence. New Delhi’s trade with Beijing has increased, diplomatic ties have remained normal, and India has not undertaken local military operations. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reputation for toughness and resolve—essential for deterrence—has been tested and found wanting.

Modi is trapped by his own nationalist rhetoric: Since deadly border clashes in Ladakh in 2020, India’s government has downplayed the border crisis to shield the prime minister’s macho image. China has been quick to exploit this weakness, which has likely emboldened it to put even more pressure on India. This shift has far-reaching consequences for New Delhi’s foreign policy, chief among them how it approaches its partnership with Washington. India fears being boxed into an alliance, but it can no longer wish away the Chinese threat.

The Yangtse plateau lies in India’s Tawang district, which is claimed by China. The sixth Dalai Lama was born in Tawang in the 17th century, and the district is home to the second-largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the world. Dai Bingguo, a Chinese diplomat who led border negotiations with India for a decade, argued in a 2017 interview that the territory that includes Tawang is “inalienable from China’s Tibet.” “Even the British colonialists who drew the illegal ‘McMahon Line’ respected China’s jurisdiction over Tawang,” he said.

The McMahon Line, although not formally accepted by the Chinese, serves as the de facto border between Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet. Henry McMahon, the British foreign secretary of colonial India, drew the line on a map with a thick red pen in 1914 during negotiations over the status of Tibet. In some places, the line violates its own principle of following the highest watershed, creating discrepancies on the ground. Yangtse is one such area of dispute, as established during border talks in the 1990s.

India first occupied the area in 1986, during the seven-year Sumdorung Chu crisis with China—a major standoff over the Yangtse plateau. It’s understandable why the PLA wants to control the 17,000-foot ridge, as military commanders agree on its tactical importance. It offers an unrestricted view of the entire Tawang Valley and Bum La pass, providing a tactical advantage. A Chinese military patrol was pushed back by India there as recently as October 2021; this year, the PLA sealed a road and constructed a camp around 500 feet short of the ridge.

Other reports suggest that clashes such as the one on Dec. 9 have taken place in Arunachal Pradesh two or three times a month on average recently, and that the Indian government has succeeded at keeping the incidents largely under wraps until now. Indian media reports that since the start of summer, the PLA has been “overtly aggressive” at the border with Arunachal Pradesh. Likewise, in the Doklam plateau in Bhutan, the site of a 73-day standoff over a Chinese construction project in 2017, the PLA has built a new bridge.

These Chinese grey zone operations—falling below the threshold of war—have gone on while tensions between the two armies in Ladakh remain high. There, each side still deploys more than 50,000 additional soldiers, Indian soldiers can’t access areas they patrolled in 2020, and border talks have failed to provide a breakthrough. If the PLA can try to dislodge India from a place like Yangtse, where New Delhi has deployed for decades, then it surely can target any place on the LAC at its will. Effective deterrence is a function of visible capacity to inflict unacceptable damage—whether military, economic, or diplomatic. The situation as it stands reflects India’s increasing inability to deter China on the disputed border.

Since the Ladakh crisis began, trade between India and China has reached record highs. India is the biggest recipient of grants from the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. This economic entanglement has further diminished India’s deterrence. Meanwhile, New Delhi has taken few diplomatic steps to dissuade Beijing from incursions. In addition to attending multilateral summits hosted by China and inviting Chinese delegations to India, the Indian military has participated with the PLA in joint exercises. New Delhi has not undertaken any quid pro quo military operations to take control of Chinese territory on the border, which it could use as a bargaining chip to reverse Beijing’s ingresses in Ladakh.

Despite these realities, around 70 percent of Indians now believe the country could defeat China militarily. Modi has avoided any public conversation about China’s border threat. After the Galwan Valley clashes, which killed 20 Indian soldiers, the prime minister said on national television that “no one has intruded into our territory.” In Beijing’s view, New Delhi is reluctant to acknowledge any aggressive Chinese actions to prevent embarrassment to Modi, and hesitant to follow through threats out of fear of further escalation.

Modi’s brief exchange with Chinese President Xi Jinping at this year’s G-20 summit also failed to yield any result in the border dispute. Vijay Gokhale, who previously served as India’s foreign secretary and ambassador to Beijing, recently recommended that India should “convey signals more credibly and transparently.” In Gokhale’s words, the Modi government’s current actions corroborate Beijing’s long-held vision of New Delhi as “unequal as well as untrustworthy.”

The ongoing tensions at the India-China border inevitably shape Modi’s foreign policy. India has so far continued to pursue relationships with regimes shunned by the West, despite U.S. President Joe Biden calling ties with India the “the most important relationship for the United States, into the 21st century.” Before the war in Ukraine, India imported less than 1 percent of its crude oil from Russia; now more than 20 percent of its crude supplies come from Russia. India is collaborating with Iran on an infrastructure project to shorten the supply lines from Russia and engages with the military junta in Myanmar.

Aiming for a multipolar world, New Delhi has rarely backed the West at multilateral forums, but it hasn’t voted with Russia either. India simultaneously wants be part of the global south and have a seat at the global north’s table. But New Delhi can only pursue this independent course if it has the freedom to maneuver. Instead, its immediate and proximate challenge has become its biggest concern, forcing it to view all its foreign-policy choices through that prism. China has compelled India to reconsider choices that it has so far sidestepped, including a closer security and intelligence partnership with the United States and its allies.

The most important decision India currently faces is whether to officially join forces with the United States to counter China. Most observers see the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, known as the Quad (comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the United States), as a potential showcase for that cooperation. Kurt Campbell, the White House Indo-Pacific czar, recently revealed that New Delhi was reluctant to have the Quad hold a leaders’ summit. When the United States explored whether the Quad could develop military teeth, the Indian side restated its discomfort.

More than three years after the United States agreed to have Indian liaison officers at the Indo-Pacific Command and Special Operations Command, the Indian government has not yet nominated one. New Delhi has not responded enthusiastically to the Australian Navy’s request to send an Indian submarine to dock in Perth, Australia; Japan also speaks in whispered tones about the depth or lack thereof of India’s commitment to regional security, including over Taiwan.

Ultimately, New Delhi’s reluctance to fully commit to an anti-China security partnership also reflects its apprehension about provoking Beijing. It is the only member of the Quad that shares a land border with China and recognizes that it must deal with a continental security challenge from China on its own; the United States would not take a risk over Tawang. Nevertheless, Beijing continues to view New Delhi through the prism of its ties with Washington. It does not wish to grant India the status of a regional power to be dealt on its own terms.

The Dec. 9 clash at Tawang underlines again that India cannot escape the Chinese threat on its border. The government’s tactic of staying silent until the crisis blows over has only made the Chinese more belligerent. Since the latest clash followed Modi’s personal overture to Xi, it should be evident that the prime minister’s personality-driven diplomacy has failed. Modi has turned national energy to focus on event management around India’s G-20 presidency next year, but that won’t diminish China’s intimidating stance either.

The status quo has changed, deterrence has broken down, and Beijing’s threat looms larger by the day. Sooner or later, India will have to take more decisive action.

[internationalnewz]

US sends stern message to China on Tawang clash: 'Fully support India's effort'

China is growingly asserting itself and being proactive in areas directed toward US allies and partners in Indo-Pacific, Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder said.

The Pentagon said the US department of defence is closely watching the situation along the Line of Actual Control and slammed China for continuing to “amass forces and build military infrastructure along the so-called LAC”. Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder said it is important to point out the growing trend by China to assert itself and ‘be proactive’ in areas directed toward US allies and partners in Indo-Pacific. “We will continue to remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure the security of our partners. We fully support India’s effort to de-escalate the situation,” Pat Ryder said.

On December 9, there was a clash between the Indian soldiers and the Chinese troops at the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh on the India-China border. Chinese troops tries to transgress the LAC and unilaterally change the status quo leading to a clash in which the Indian soldiers gave a firm and resolute response forcing the Chinese side to retreat. In his statement presented in Parliament. defence minister Rajnath Singh said there was no fatality and no serious injuries to the Indian soldiers.

Following the face-off, the local commander of the Indian Army held a flag meeting with his counterpart on December 11.

This is the second major face-off between the Indian and the Chinese troops after Galwan in 2020 while talks regarding the border issues are going on between the two sides.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the US is closely monitoring the situation and is glad to note that there was a quick disengagement.

India and the United States recently held the 18th edition of the two country’s joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’ in Uttarakhand about 100 km from the Line of Actual Control to which China expressed its objection and said it violated the spirit of the two agreements signed between New Delhi and Beijing.

Both India and US rejected China’s opposition to the joint exercise and said no third country is allowed to comment on such matters. While India said the India-US exercise had nothing to do with the 1993 and 1996 agreements, the US said it was none of China’s business to comment.

Three Indian Army troops — Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, Jat regiment and Sikh Light Infantry — thwarted the attack from the Chinese troops who came armed with clubs, sticks and other equipment, reports said. The Indian side was prepared and when the attack took place, one of the units was being relieved by a new unit. Chinese troops came with drones apparently to shoot the entire clash, reports said.