India China Dispute: The situation is serious, China may again have an audacity like Galwan… Expert C Uday Bhaskar warns

New Delhi : There is anger in the country after the incident of kidnapping of an Indian teenager by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China. While everyone awaits the return of 17-year-old Miram Taron, a teenager from Arunachal Pradesh, China says it is not aware of any such incident. The PLA monitors the border and takes action against any ‘illegal entry and exit’.

After the standoff in East Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in April 2020 over the border dispute, China tried to create another dispute by renaming parts of Arunachal Pradesh. Now the incident of kidnapping of Indian has become a cause of tension again in the relations between the two countries. Defense expert C Uday Bhaskar has given answers to some questions on all these issues.

Question: The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has kidnapped a teenager from Arunachal Pradesh. This development has happened at a time when there is a standoff with India in eastern Ladakh. Your feedback?

answer: The news of Kishor being kidnapped from Arunachal Pradesh is an undesirable development. It is believed that India has raised this issue with China through available channels. The truth is that the demarcation of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is not clear and that is why such incidents happen. A similar case was reported in the month of September 2020 and the abducted people were sent back after a week. It is expected that Miram Taron will also return home soon.

China Arunachal Pradesh: China’s secession, told Arunachal as its part, child abduction called ‘illegal infiltration’
Question: The round of commander-level talks between India and China on the withdrawal of troops and other related issues is still going on. Soldiers of both the countries are still standing on the LAC. Where do you see the impasse that started in April of 2020 today?

answer: The situation in Eastern Ladakh remains as it is. The PLA is strengthening infrastructure within India’s claimed border. In this context, India is in a less favorable position after the Galwan Valley incident.

Question: What should be India’s strategy till there is a mutually acceptable solution?

answer: It would be better for India to increase its military capability to prevent PLA from such violations in future and India should convey this resolve to China at diplomatic and military level. At the same time, to defuse the current tension, India should try to encourage Beijing to reach a mutually acceptable arrangement till the dispute is settled. Apart from this, a political environment should be created to end this bitterness of the border dispute. There was a war between the two countries in October 1962 and its recurrence would be undesirable…and costly for both the countries.

Question: Do you think we are heading towards a military conflict or some sort of war between the two countries?

answer: The situation is still hazy…Galwan’s repetition cannot be ruled out.

Question: In such a situation, in which direction do you see the India-China relationship moving?

answer: Right now the situation remains delicate… and conflicting as well. It is strange that when there is tension on the LAC, China and India’s trade is increasing on both sides despite Galvan and Covid-19. More transparency is needed here.