Indian media recently reported heavily on clashes and moves to gather forces between the country’s military and neighboring China in the disputed border area in the Ladakh region.
General Manoj Mukund Naravane, commander of the Indian army, said at least two clashes between the two countries’ border guards took place in early May in the northern Ladakh region and at the Naku La pass connecting India’s Sikkim with the West.
These clashes took place after India started opening a road near the disputed Pangong Tso lake with China in Ladakh.
Indian media said the Chinese army had erected 100 more field tents near Pangon Tso lake and Galwan valley along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Ladakh region, and deployed many engineering vehicles capable of
Chinese (left) and Indian (right) soldiers during a joint exercise.
Thinking that this is a sign that China is not ready to end the tense situation in the disputed border area, the Indian army has deployed a squadron of Su-30MKI heavy fighters to Ladakh.
Two other scuffles continued to occur in Ladakh’s Galwan valley and Demchok as both India and China increased troop deployment to the area.
A day after US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells said that `China has engaged in provocative and disruptive behavior` in the border area with India, a Department spokesman
`The Chinese border force is committed to protecting its territory and security sovereignty, resolutely responding to India’s intrusions and violations, and maintaining peace in the China-India border area`
India immediately reacted harshly to China’s statement.
Zhao Lijian and Srivastava both said Beijing and New Delhi had discussed the situation through diplomatic channels.
China and India fought a brief but bloody border war in 1962, which ended with a ceasefire and led to the establishment of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) demarcating the two lands.
After a deadly clash in 1967, friction between the two countries’ border guards continued and erupted into a scuffle in the summer of 2017 at Pangong Tso lake.
Indian and Chinese soldiers brawl
Indian and Chinese soldiers brawled on the banks of Pangong Tso lake, August 2017, Video: Twitter/ThePrintIndia.
Chinese media warns that India’s road construction project near Pangong Tso Lake could trigger an even more serious conflict than what happened three years ago.
`If India cannot stop such provocations as soon as possible, they will impact the relationship between Beijing and New Delhi, possibly even surpassing the level of the confrontation in Doklam,` Long Xingchun
Sino-Indian relations are even more tense due to conflicting interests in the region.
India’s road project at Pangong Tso Lake also angered neighboring Nepal, a small country located along the China-India border.
General Navarane implicitly accused China of instigating anti-India protests in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu.
Territorial dispute area between China – India and Pakistan – India.
The US warns against regional countries such as Pakistan and Nepal getting too close to China.
The risk of a conflict breaking out on the China-India border has not yet subsided when Indian television channel NDTV yesterday published satellite photos showing that China is expanding the Ngari Gunsa mixed airport in western Tibet.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 26 called for the military to increase combat readiness.