Indo-China Border dispute- why & how?

         Border disputes between India and China, have been escalating since late April this year, when China sent thousands of its troops into the disputed region along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). After an agreement to de-escalate on June 6, the mutual withdrawals of troops from the Galwan valley, went dramatically wrong & on June 15, the violence reached its peak with resulting the death of 20 Indian soldiers, including a commanding officer, as informed by the Indian Army officials. Chinese government & media sources did not provide casualty figures for their troops, but according to Indian media, more than 40 of the Chinese soldiers were also killed in the clash. This recent combat is said to be the very first time in decades that the fighting at 14,000 feet had led to casualties.

          But the history of the conflict can be traced back to the 1962 Indo-China war over their contested border in the Himalayas. Somehow, the war ended with an armistice by forming a de facto boundary, which is known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The LAC is a rough demarcation line which separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory. Both the armies have regularly patrolled this region & pressed their claims by building up roads and infrastructure. According to some analysts, China has been more assertive in building infrastructure in the area & is anxious to frustrate any effort by India to upgrade its own military installations. We do not have the exact reason why tensions have escalated now to their worst in decades. This is said to be a “cold war” and both the nations are blaming each other for this. But the sources & explanations which are being circulated in the media, state that the Chinese government was not satisfied with India’s actions in August 2019 to end Jammu & Kashmir’s traditional autonomy, out of which the Union Territory of Ladakh was created. China saw India’s recent constructions of roads & bridge in the area as a change to the status quo & a challenge to its strategic position. These days the rivalry between China & USA is on the verge and as India & USA have very close relation, this may be another reason for China’s unhappiness for India. But the most important reason what I feel is the COVID-19, which is a global pandemic now. Most of the nations are blaming China for this virus & are planning to shift their investments from China to India, which will be a shock to Chinese economy. So, in order to divert their attention China is slowly targeting India.

          These days the slogan “vocal for local” & “boycott Chinese products” are trending in the Indian mass & if this movement succeeds, it would be a headache for Chinese economy and would pave a way for the Indian products to reach global market. And the indication has been given by the Indian government yesterday by banning 59 Chinese apps in India including Tik Tok(whose majority of the users are Indians & is one of the major sources of Chinese economy from India apart from electronic gadgets) and people are terming this ban as “Digital Surgical Strike.” This will affect the bilateral relationships of both the nations.

Papu Padhan

Sambalpur University