In yet another episode of simmering border tensions between India and China, New Delhi has formally expressed its strong protest against China’s release of a revised map that claims Indian territory as its own. This diplomatic move adds to the existing strains between the two Asian giants, renewing concerns about the ongoing border dispute. Beijing’s new map is certainly a fresh provocation which is unlikely to be helpful in resolving their issues.
The Chinese map prominently displayed the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the Aksai Chin plateau as part of Chinese territory. Arunachal Pradesh saw a bitter border war between the two countries in 1962, and Aksai Chin is a strategic corridor linking Tibet to western China. China’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh is rooted in its assertion that the region is part of southern Tibet. Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar emphasized that making unfounded assertions on Indian territory does not change the facts on the ground. Foreign ministry spokesman, Arindam Bagchi, strongly rejected China’s claims, stating that they are baseless and will only serve to complicate efforts to resolve the boundary question.
The map controversy – an instance of cartographic aggression – has put a question mark on the ongoing diplomatic and military to military dialogue between the two countries. Ever since the People’s Liberation Army staged incursions at five places in April 2020, the two neighbours have been in a state of unmitigated conflict. The violent clash in the Himalayas in June of the same year, resulting in casualties on both sides, intensified hostilities. While the situation has calmed along most parts of the border since then, localized stand-offs persist in certain pockets.
The recent diplomatic flare-up follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s discussions with China’s President Xi Jinping during the BRICS summit in Johannesburg. The PM Modi reportedly stressed the importance of respecting the LAC, underlining India’s commitment to maintaining stability in the border region. To bolster its stance, India has also invested significant resources in connectivity projects along its side of the border, aimed at establishing paramilitary units.
But as the exchange of protests over the Chinese territorial claims on the map underscore, the underlying tensions between India and China linger. But the strong stand taken by India against China’s attempts to redefine borders through maps sends a clear message that territorial integrity is non-negotiable. As the two nations navigate this delicate situation, here’s hoping that the diplomatic channels prevail leading to a peaceful resolution to the long-standing border dispute.
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