India-China Tensions Spike in the Himalayas
A simmering decades-old territorial dispute re-erupted over when troops from both countries came face to face along a disputed mountain border in the region of Ladakh. Between October 20_ 1975 and June 15_ 2020_ no Indian or Chinese troops died along the two countries disputed border. That changed on June 15_ when 20 Indians and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers were killed in a brawl. In recent days_ the situation has heated up again_ with another reported Indian casualty_ ending a 76-day period without any deaths. As Ajai Shukla reported recently_ Nyima Tenzin of India s Special Frontier Force (SFF)_ an elite border unit_ was killed in a shadowy operation. The tactical situation around Pangong Tso one of the many simmering standoff points along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh has changed following Indian moves in recent days. Indian forces have assumed control of the heights on the southern bank of the lake_ apparently catching the PLA off-guard and drawing protest from China. As Bloomberg reports_ citing Indian officials_ In what they called India s first offensive move since the conflict began in May_ thousands of soldiers climbed up mountain peaks for about six hours to claim the vantage points along the south bank of Pangong Tso a glacial lake roughly the size of Singapore. The action was taken to counter what India saw an intrusion by Chinese forces_ the officials said_ asking not to be identified due to rules on speaking to the media. According to Times of India_ the Indian Army has also consolidated positions on the north bank_ overlooking the first and second Fingers (mountainous outcroppings) at the lake. Elsewhere at The Diplomat_ Abhijnan Rej_ our new security and defense editor_ takes a look at the recent operations and the increased stakes in Ladakh. Indian actions early this week mark a turning point in the ongoing crisis_ he observes. To many_ much of what has happened in Eastern Ladakh over the past four months reminds one of the events leading up to the 1999 India-Pakistan Kargil War_ but in slow motion and with added complexity. For India_ the PLA is a better equipped adversary than Pakistan in 1999_ of course_ and New Delhi still has to contend with shortfalls in equipment_ even while its own manpower is quite favorable along the Himalayan border. For now_ the India-China border remains incredibly tense. We may be in for a long_ bitter winter as Indian and Chinese troops attempt to preserve their gains in Ladakh while talks continue at the diplomatic and military levels. -Source: The Diplomat
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