INDIA-CHINA CONFLICT

Kunga Dhoedon.

India-China Conflict: 

India enjoyed the borderless exchange of culture, goods, and language for a long time with the Tibet till 1959. Both states mutually respect each other sovereignty. Yet, in the amid of cold war chaos and the newly recognized nation India (1949) incapable to extend its hand to the neighborhood country (snow cap mountain) has to accept the fate to consider China as a new neighboring country for almost seventy years to date. Cultural and economic relation between Tibet and India dating back to ancient times was as beautiful as the Teacher and students relation. The very important landmark we can recall in history is the Silk Road. The Silk Road was not only served as a major trade route between both countries but also credited for facilitating the spread of Buddhism from India to East Asia.

Most of the research base writing especially on the research area on India- China relations also known as Sino-Indo relations, which refers to the bilateral relationship between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India. Although the relationship has been cordial, there have been border disputes. Therefore, historically the relationship between both countries is known and characterized by a border dispute.  

Considering the event from history, the other disputed territory lies south of the McMahon Line. It is formerly referred to as the North-East Frontier Agency and now is called Arunachal Pradesh. The McMahon line was part of the 1914 Shimla Convention between British India and Tibet. Fortunately, or unfortunately, in 1962, Chinese troops crossed the McMahon line and break the trust of Indian political trust towards China. So concerning the zero point trust, most of the layman's term was and is loudly claimed/ known by the people of India as “Hindi Chine byi byi”. After a month of conflict, the line was extended and crossed by the PRC on the Line of Actual Control till Ladakh skipped the Aksi Chin, the most important military strategy for both the country.

In the recent standoff with China on a border dispute at Ladakh amid coronavirus tension, the same history repeats with more grief and loss of life. The certain ambush of the Indian army by the People's Liberation Army during the displacement of land to expand the base of the Indian Army heavily cost twenty lives of healthy and brave soldiers. If we study back in the casualty history of the Indian Army, the first casualty began in 1975, by the effect of the forward policy implemented by the Indian government! Foreign policymaking in India was confidential to a certain level of the decision maker and a democratic approach or negotiation with China was not suitable. The dependent or the pleasing policy stand of the Indian government very often leads to the price of defeat from China, which limits the freedom of maneuver for the Indian government to engage in negotiation with the PRC and resulted in serious compromisation from the Republic of India. India needs to reconsider the statement of elite politician Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in today's geopolitics stand!

In the bottom-line conclusion, China has and had been dishonoring the verbal and word agreement till now. Betrayal of the Indian leader is a common play-game strategy by China and India will likely face two enemies (China and Pakistan) spontaneously, time and time again to accept the fate for the fatal defeat of losing the geopolitical power in the Himalayan region shortly only when Indian don't consider to review the Foreign Policy of India towards China. Therefore, there is an urgent need to review the policy for a better future. Many scholars and experts are recommending the best alterations in the Policy itself by considering Tibet as an independent nation by the Indian government will save thousands of innocent lives in its nation.