“It’s clarified that there was a minor face-off between Indian Army & Chinese PLA troops at Naku La, Sikkim on 20th January. It was resolved by local commanders as per established protocols: Indian Army. ”
❖ In 2017 there was an incident at Doklam
❖ On 15 June 2020 there was an incident at Galwan. The Martyrs were
given Gallantry Medals. Colonel Santosh Babu received the Mahavir
Chakra (Posthumous)
❖ And now Naku La in Sikkim on 20th January 2021.
Battle of Rezang La. Rezang La (La means Pass) is a pass at around 16,000 ft on the south-eastern approach to Chushul Valley, Ladakh. The pass is around 3km long and 2km wide. T he Indo-China war of 1962 is a long-forgotten dark chapter of Indian history. F or India, t he only battle victory and remarkable memory from the war was the epic Battle of Rezang La 1962. It was a battle written in history with the blood of the Vir Ahir of Rezang La. It was also a battle that made Major Shaitan Singh and his 120 Vir Ahir of Rezang La immortal in our memories. It is a tryst of Destiny that despite proving their vallor since WW-I the Ahirs have not been given the honour to fight under their own flag. They fight under the flag of Kumaon and other Regiments.
Nathu La (Sikkim) incident of August 1967 when the Chinese objected to a
barbed wire on our side of the Line of Control, fire was opened on our troops. Brig. Rai Singh then as Lt. Col. Commanding 2 Grenadiers Battalion was awarded the MVC. We lost 88 Soldiers. This skirmish started with stone
throwing by the Chinese and soon escalated to machine gun fire that moved
down our troops laying the barbed wire fence. The trend that repeated at
Galwan in 2020…started with unconventional stone age weapons.
McMohan Line. In 1914 a Shimla Convention was held between British and
Tibetan representatives. It proposed a demarcation line between Tibet and North East Region of India. The lead was a British Colonial Administrator Sir Henry McMohan, thus the name. While India recognises it as the boundary between India and China, China disputes it and has violated it by wrongfully occupying Tibet. China claims that it does not recognise it as it was not a party to it.
Red Line. The above incidents demonstrate that China has an imaginary Red Line, anyone who crosses it has to pay the price. Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and the South China Sea (SCS) are all on its target.
Diplomatic Stand. India has also been quite about the happenings in Hong
Kong despite so many Indians living there. Indian diplomatic relations with
Taiwan in the past have been on low key. Just because of its policy of not
antagonising China.
❖ India refused to refer the Tibet incursion by China to the United Nations
Security Council, but referred to the Kashmir Issue when our troops were
ready to capture the whole of Kashmir in days. A dichotomy of policy
that has lasting pain.
OBOR – One Belt One Road or B RI (Border and Road Initiative) is another
Chinese clever initiative. There is no philanthropy in it. The Nations are now realising the C hinese Debt Trap. Malaysia for one has cancelled the 886 km long East Coast Rail Link at a cost of $ 19.6 million. They are renegotiating now with about 30% less cost. Pakistan is not so lucky.
India has been accepting the hegemony of China for too long. “Hindi – Chini
Bhai Bhai”. This trend is changing now.
Concerns inside China:
01.The Single Party System cannot shift blame to any opposition, thus it
cannot afford to fail its subjects.
02.It needs water from the Northwest for its plains. All major rivers emanate from Tibet. Thus the occupation of Tibet is important.
03.Uighur Muslims are a concern in its Xinjiang autonomous region in
Northwest China. About over a million Uighurs have been interned since
2017 in about 85 camps for indoctrination.
04.Feeding the large populations is a concern.
05.China needs access to the sea for exports and imports. For this reason it
has built the Karakoram Highway to reach the Arabian Sea over the
Himalayas through Gilgit and Pakistan, but is always under threat from
India as Gilgit is ours. Even greater threat is from any blockade in the
South China Sea and Indian Ocean.
06.South China Sea is a strategic Oil resource for China, it claims maritime
rights over it.
07.Communist Party of China was formed in 1921. On the eve of completing
100 years it is wanting to showcase its performance. It is unlikely to take
any military misadventure with India in near future for fear that if there is
a defeat or stalemate it will lose face.
India’s Options:
- Meet China on an equal platform. Confront with full force, distance from
the weakneed policies of defending the borders with stone age tools using batons with barbed wire tied (Like Galwan Valley skirmish). - Use all its resources from Land, Air and Sea. Airforce is actively
operating in Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) airstrip in Ladakh. Border Roads
are doing a great job building roads and bridges for quick military
deployment along the Himalayan Border. The Army has deployed Tanks
in High Altitude. Speed boats have been ordered to patrol Pangong Tso
Lake and the disputed four finger area. The Navy is itching to blockade
Chinese Commercial Ships in the South China Sea and Indian ocean. - Populate broders with Villages. Indian citizens provide incidental
security. Think why ingress in Punjab is not possible? - Man borders with regular troops. The policy of Patrolling in fair weather
(summer) has seen its pitfalls in Ladakh losing Aksai Chin in 1962 and at
Kargil in 1999 and Galwan in 2020. China has been following the
“S licing Policy”. B oots on the Ground i s the answer to protect India. This will give employment to youth. Invest in Defense Forces, increase
recruitment and budget. Indian Government tries to give subsidies and
guaranteed employment in schemes like NREGA 2005. Here is an
opportunity for gainful employment in Defense of the Country. - For the economic boycott and perception of its Nationalist Citizens, stop
buying Chinese goods or giving them large infrastructure government
contracts.
Understand the Fear and Need of China.
➢ Fear of China is Tibet Independence and Karakoram Highway. Water &
Trade (OBOR/ BRI).
➢ Need of China is Oil in the South China Sea and sea trade routes through the Indian Ocean to Africa, Europe and Americas.
India should consider three fold policy:
❖ One: Army Option – increase Boots on Ground. Man the borders year
round with a density that can check any attempted intrusion in real time.
❖ Two: Economic Option – Grant most favoured Nation status to any
country that recognises Kashmir as an integral part of India; reduced
taxes for trade, but penal taxes to countries that do not acknowledge
India’s sovereignty over Kashmir.
❖ Three: Naval Option – Blockade in Indian Ocean of ships with Chinese
Flag or their friends. Thus giving fiscal pain.
Lt. Col. Atul Chaudhary (V) I.A. served in the Artillery Regiment and has
guarded the Nathu La post. He is a Defense Analyst.
The views expressed are of the author.
Excellent Article!
In the past Indian military leaders were hobbled by their political masters.
The fears of the politicians have had disastrous ramifications for India which, due to the passage
of time, may be impossible to rectify.
In the future the security at the Indian-Nepal border may be of question due to China’s interference in Nepal’s internal affairs.
In the North East access via Bangladesh may be vital, with permission or not.
India’s trade deficit with China in 2018-2019 was USD 53.57 billion.
Why?
Hit the China where it really hurts; In their pocket, while at the same time promote Indian industries.