Alarming Disputes Along The India-China Border
What is the India-China Border?
Depending on which side you ask, in length, the India-China border is about 2,167 miles (3488 km) long. At some points in this border, the temperatures are so cold that special breathing equipment must be used to withstand it. China currently claims land that is a part of Arunachal Pradesh, a state of India and India claims land that includes the Aksai Chin plateau, which is under China’s control and resides in Ladakh.
Line of Actual Control (LAC)
LAC was put into place in 1914 during the British colonial era when the McMahon Line was drawn between India and Tibet. New Delhi accepted the McMahon lines but Beijing refused to accept it, not wanting anything to do with the British treaties. The LAC is 2,167 miles (3,488 km) long according to India but only 1,243 miles (2,000 km) long according to China. Both countries are disputing on who is allowed to build along the border. The three sections of the LAC are:
- Middle Sector – (Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand) The sector that is disputed over the least.
- Eastern Sector – (Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim) A little bit of disputes over this sector.
- Western Sector – (Ladakh) The sector that is majorly disputed over.
History of Dispute
The land has been fought over for decades by both India and China.
- 1962 – China attacked India in a territorial battle over the land, China won this war but that wasn’t the end of the dispute. The border that lies between Ladakh and Aksai Chin is marked as the end of the 1962 war.
- 1967 – It is recorded that India lost 80-150 people and China lost 300-400 people when the two countries butted heads again over the border in Nathu La.
- 1975 – Chinese soldiers ambushed a couple of Indian soldiers on the border of Arunachal Pradesh. This was the last time that was reported that shots were fired over the India-China border until currently.
- 2017 – India sent soldiers to stop China from constructing a road in the Doklam region. This was a standoff that lasted a while but was resolved after there was a talk between the two countries.
The India-China Border Currently
Despite the coronavirus circling the world, the two countries have been disputing over the border again this year.
- May – In early May, fistfights between India and China soldiers broke out at the eastern sector of the LAC in Sikkim. Several soldiers on both sides were injured in this dispute.
- June – Indian soldiers were killed, at least 20, while others were injured in the western sector of the LAC in the Aksai Chin-Ladakh region. A source in the Indian military claims that bamboo poles with nails, fists, and stones were all used in this fight and no shots were fired. Even though guns were not used, this is the first confrontation between the two countries that has ended in deaths since 1975. China moved their troops and India sent in extra troops to
- August – China denies the claims that they are at fault for the dispute at the border in June.
- September – Both of the countries are claiming that shoots are being fired by the other country. In a 1996 agreement, the countries agreed not to use guns and/or explosives near the India-China border to prevent the long time dispute over the LAC from escalating into a war. If there were actual shots fired, it would have been the first shots to be fired at the India-China border in 45 years.
There is currently still a standoff at the border between India and China, they each have soldiers patrolling.
What is to Come in the Future of the India-China Border?
- Neither one of the countries seem to be standing down in this dispute. Experts are saying that if India and China do not come to an agreement about the LAC territories, there may be a war ahead for the two countries.
- The India government has taken a step and has already banned at least 150 China based apps, including TikTok. China is a big trading partner to India, this dispute could make them fall economically.
- The countries both have established that they have nuclear power, and alliances with other popular countries such as the United States and Japan may be formed.
The countries have talked approximately eight times already on the matter of the current border dispute and have not reached an agreement yet. According to reports, the countries are seeking to come up with a withdrawal plan to end this standoff.
Sources:
https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2020/mapping-india-and-china-disputed-borders/index.html
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/06/asia/india-china-border-explainer-scli-intl-hnk/
https://thediplomat.com/2012/08/historys-hostage-china-india-and-the-war-of-1962/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/03/world/asia/india-china-trump.html
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