Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has in fact shown his country’s insistence on a new border settlement that would seek a fair and reasonable solution to safeguard their strategic geopolitical interests in the area and till then to jointly maintain peace and tranquility along the border.
It is noteworthy that China has just undergone
a major change in its leadership and the intrusion within 19 KM of Indian side of LAC has naturally been made to highlight this issue.
This appears to be a part and parcel of Chinese assertiveness like in the South and East China Sea to create awe in its neighbouring countries. It may also reveal its desire and ambitions to carve out its geopolitical strategic areas in view of changing scenario in the region comprising Pakistan-Afghanistan—Central Asia to support its increasing economic influence in the area/ region. Thanks to India’s dragging along in a weak-kneed policy towards China right from the border war of 1962 that had a chilling effect on India’s endeavors to revamp its defence policy in this region as China is occupying 38,000 square kilometers (15,000 square miles) of territory in the Aksai Chin plateau in the western Himalayas and now claims around 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 square miles) of land in India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Awakened by China’s recent assertiveness, countries like Australia, Japan and South Korea as well as others in Indo-Pacific region are forming formidable naval linkages to deal with the situation . It would be in the fitness of things if India also actively engages with the said US allies to create a formidable challenge to the China’s navy.
Historically, China seldom had any strategic military presence in the Indian Ocean and even much less in the region from Afghanistan to Mid east that borders Mediterranean sea.
Recent incursion by the People's Liberation Army troops in the Ladakh region and their refusal to withdraw inside their own side of LAC inspite of three flag meetings was even more serious in view of violation of mechanism laid down under the mandate of 2005 whereby with the face to face situation neither side shall use force or threaten to use force against the other.
It was only when the tense situation attained political dimensions with Indian foreign minister traveling to Beijing on 9th May to discuss the matter with the China's new Premier Li Keqiang, the ending of standoff was made possible. Though Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the local commanders of Indian army initially thought of it as a localized situation at some army level perception,the Indian side analysts lately became suspicious , due to their prolonged stay and began attributing it to some planning at some higher political level.
Chinese incursions clearly indicates that “Chinese leadership’ is intent upon materially altering the LAC to suitably enable their geopolitical strategic ambitions/ interest to materialize in the Jammu and Kashmir area.
Chinese leadership has often been resorting to constantly changing positions.China , for instance denied a proper visa to the then Northern Army commander Lt General BS Jaswal in july 2010 on the ground that he was commanding forces in the disputed and sensitive region of J&K, Thereafter all bilateral military engagements were frozen. After the Indian and Chinese armies ,had undertaken the first two Hind in Hand exercises in Kuuming (China) in 2007 and Belgaum in 2008,the third edition of the Hand- in-Hand counter terrorism exercise has still not taken place even after a lapse of five years.
To make matters worse,China claims around 90,000 Square kilometers of land in India’s northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh while India says China is occupying 38,000 square Km of territory in the Aksai Chin plateau in the western Himalayas.Though the two sides have held 15 round of talks to resolve their border disputes , no worthwhile progress has been achieved. Scarier still China is a longtime ally and weapons supplier to India’s bitter rival-Pakistan.
India needs to increase its defence budget manifold to deal with this challenge and also act drastically to stamp out corruption in the defence deals.India should also act quickly to attract foreign investments in the defence production sector on a priority basis.
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