Muhammad Usman
THE Chinese and Indian boundary disputes
are age old. In 1962, PM of China, Zhou Enlai,
proposed a peace deal to resolve these lingering disputes. India was to renounce its claim over Aksai Chin. In return, China would relinquish its claim over Arunachal Pradesh. In the backdrop that both countries had claims on both places, it was a sane proposal however, it fell on deaf ears. Underlying reason was Indian propensity not to see through right prism but is of its own. India thought that China could ill afford a fight. Even, if it chose this course, it could be blunted with firing of some bullets however, balloon of Indian fallacy busted when on 20 October, China attacked Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh simultaneously and caught India with pants down, being dispirited, ill prepared, poorly equipped and logistically handicapped. It was virtually a no contest walkover for China until it unilaterally declared ceasefire but not before, having captured Aksai Chin and territories till Tezpur in Assam (Arunachal Pradesh). China kept Aksai Chin and withdrew from other territories. India readily conceded but not as a piece of peace deal but with a stigma of humiliation on battlefield on its forehead. For India, certainly it turned out to be a case of galloping ahead of its resources with harsh consequences. Habitually, India harboured an exaggerated opinion of itself. Instead of learning from humiliating experience, it continued to indulge in ostentatious bids to portray itself a major player in the region. No country in the neighbourhood could remain immune from its madness. Most recently, in pursuit of its mischief, again it met its nemesis. Again it was China which drilled sense in its head. It is even more humiliating because this time, India could not even fire a single bullet.
It was just a brief brawl, involving 150 soldiers that jolted India to succumb with no sign of settling the score, not even a grumbling in a desperate bid to find face saving. It seems that India would swallow it as a fait accompli. It is an instance of humiliation plus because it entails far reaching ramifications beyond confines of Ladakh region. Besides other strategic reasons, Indian unilateral decision of making Ladakh a union territory alarmed China. China strongly objected to its wrongful inclusion, being a disputed territory. India had a military base at Dault Beg which now has been raised to a brigade strength. Efforts were also afoot to connect it with internal road network. In October last year, India also constructed a road, called Darbuk-Shyok-Dault Beg to maintain brigade at Dault Beg. Notably, it was a critical development for two reasons. One, it is a significant change in status quo, agreed upon mutually with a potential to annex Ladakh permanently in India. Two, Dault Beg is just eight KMs away from Karakorum Pass. In order to pre-empt Indian nefarious design in the area, China moved its 5000 troops to capture nodal points including Galwan valley. Now with troops on ground, China effectively dominates Darbuk-Shyok-Dault road; only lifeline of Indian brigade at Dault Beg. Its interdiction/blocking would render brigade operationally redundant. With its bold move, China has clipped Indian wings. Now it could only crawl in the area with additional nerve racking possibility of link up of Pakistani and Chinese troops at Kargil in a wider conflict.
In 1962 war as already mentioned, India proved itself a mere punching bag yet US rushed in weaponry/equipment to India. Ostensibly, to rehabilitate India militarily against China. In reality, underlying purpose was to range India a counterweight to China. India pocketed everything gleefully but did none of the two. It did so not to incur Chinese displeasure/wrath rather took pains to improve its relations with China. Instead it placed all procured military items against Pakistan. US knew all this yet it kept India on its roster, either in faint hope or for appearance sake. Reportedly, US wanted Indian military contingent in Afghanistan as part of its strategic bidding to deal with Afghan Taliban but India declined in fear of retribution from them. It must have disappointed US. Being a flagship project of BRI, CPEC is increasingly becoming a serious bone of contention between US and China. US wants to scuttle it by hook or by crook. In order to buttress its regional/internal stature, India was continuously pretending to be willing and capable of torpedoing CPEC at its base in our northern areas in the garb of its claim over them as part of Kashmir which belongs to it. Upgradation of military base at Dault Beg was intended to paint pretension with brush of some reality nevertheless, it impelled China to take suo motu action to nip the evil in the bud while also reducing India to size. On one hand, India has suffered humiliation. On the other hand, a loss of face internationally; international prestige/goodwill as a regional/international player. The loss is beyond redemption because it would now be very difficult for India to sell its shining/rising image under pretensions. Two Indian weaknesses, exposed at Ladakh are too obvious to be mistaken by world again. One, marked absence of Indian will repeatedly. Two, Indian inadequacies militarily which were also equally laid bare when it clashed with Pakistan in February last year. Internally, India is also sitting on a ticking bomb, primed by continuing overdose of its Hindutva philosophy; India is a country of and for Hindus. Given conditions, this would also aggravate Indian woes internationally.
— The writer, a retired Lt Col, is freelance columnist based in Islamabad.
