Since back in time, China and India have been rivals. Not only are they the most populous countries but also nuclear powers. Often, both states have clashed over the Himalayan border; hence they do not exhibit a mutual relationship.
The terrain at the border is poor due to the presence of lakes, rivers, and snowcaps. As a result, the Line of Actual Control at the border keeps changing; hence, wrong demarcations. Therefore, steering many confrontations between the border troops.
What Caused the India-China Himalayan Border Clash?
Inflamed tensions between Chinese and Indian soldiers sparked mixed reactions following the ongoing corona pandemic. For 45 years, it’s the first time these two nations have engaged in a deadly clash. The two states had conflicted over an area in the Galwan river, bordering both countries.
It was on 15th June when Indian troops attacked Chinese soldiers who were camping in the region. Both forces engaged in combat, putting aside their ammunition. Instead, the armies were fighting with rocks and clubs. The bloody battle resulted in numerous casualties. According to media reports, at least 20 Indians succumbed. However, for the Chinese soldiers, the victims remain unknown.
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Reactions After the Deadly Battle
Conflicts between the two countries seemed to have further escalated after the battle. The Ministry of External Affairs in India blamed China for defying their latest agreement. The consensus involved both states obeying the Line of Actual Control in the Galwan valley.
Meanwhile, China reported that India was responsible for the chaos because it had trespassed on their land and started the fight. Later in the day, the Indian government stated that both states had disengaged.
Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu reported:
“According to the Chinese side, Chinese troops approached the India side for negotiations, and then they say some Indian troops fired at the Chinese side. As a result, China’s military said the actions forced it to take countermeasures. Although we don’t know what those countermeasures were, or if there were any casualties.”
Zhao Lijian, the foreign affairs minister in China, stated that the Indian troops had trespassed twice on Monday and started attacking. This invasion resulted in a severe physical confrontation between the two border forces. Although both sides reported the fight didn’t involve any use of ammo, the result was lethal. Local media reported that most of the Indian troops died from severe beatings.
Broken Vow
Following the June conflict, both countries no longer obey the border rules they had set for peace. As of now, the states operate as per their guidelines. India is now encouraging its border troops to carry firearms while on duty.
In an attempt to reduce the tensions, military commanders and diplomats have conducted numerous peaceful negotiations. However, the talks have not impacted much as the pressures are still on the rise. During an international meeting last week in Moscow, the defense ministers of China and India accused each other of steering the chaos. In turn, both ministers did not reach an agreement.
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