China’s challenge

China is a major defense challenge for India and the Indian Army. Underlining this fact, the country’s Defense Chief (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has said that this challenge from China is due to the undefined border between the two countries and the rise of China. It is noteworthy that the Line of Actual Control between India and China is in the form of a temporary border. A part of the border between India and Pakistan is similar, which is called the Line of Control. Such lines have been established due to unresolved border disputes. China became our new neighbor due to the occupation of Tibet in the fifties and before that Pakistan came into existence as a result of the partition of India. There are border disputes and wars with both of them. Although there is an agreement between India and China regarding the Line of Actual Control, China has been continuously trying to disrupt the status quo through military incursions and mobilization.

The incidents of Doklam in 2017 and Galwan in 2020 are notable examples of its expansionist attitude. After the Galwan clash, several rounds of talks have taken place between the military officials of the two countries, but China is not ready to remove its military buildup. A few days ago, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had again said that unless the situation before April 2020 is restored, tension will remain. Defense Chief General Chauhan has said that efforts by the Chinese Army to change the status quo in disputed areas will continue to be retaliated against. He cautioned that as always happens with disputed borders, the adversary tries to create new facts and arguments, our neighbors may also do so. He has called upon scholars, strategists, students, people – all to stand against such efforts. Both our aggressive neighbors are very close to each other and try to justify each other’s mistakes. Not only this, along with making unnecessary comments on the internal affairs of India, they also attack our national unity and integrity. Recently, China had raised baseless questions on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh and the projects there. India is always ready for dialogue with China and Pakistan, but unless both the countries maintain honesty and transparency on key issues, relations will not improve.