Muscular diplomacy can only end Chinese incursions in Ladakh

Just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi got assurance from Chinese President Xi Jingping at the recently concluded BRICS summit in Brazil of being committed towards resolving the border dispute between the two nations, China has dared once again India with yet another incursion in

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Such repeated incursions only depicts the different perceptions of the Line of Actual Control. Chinese incursion into Indian territory has become very common with UPA Government demonstrating a weak Defence in the last decade. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had constantly raised the issue of Pakistan's ceasefire violation at LoC and Chinese incursions at LAC in his campaign rallies of the Lok Sabha election, faces tough challenges to prove India's strength.

The latest incident of fresh incursion by Chinese troops was reported in the Demchok area of Ladakh on July 22. This incursion comes after Chinese troops entered Chumar and Demchok area on July 13 this year but were pushed back into their territory by Indian security personnel.

No clear demarcation of border between India and China

The incursion bids by the Chinese People's Liberation (PLA) came even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised on the need to find a solution to the Boundary Question during their recently concluded meeting in Fortaleza in Brazil on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.

The latest incident occurred in Charding Nilu Nullah Junction (CNNJ) in Demchok sector when PLA personnel entered the area on their vehicles in the wee hours claiming it to be Chinese territory. The problems of trespassing have been continuously occurring due to lack of a clearly marked border.

But since an agreement to resolve the dispute was concluded in 1996, including 'confidence-building measures' and a mutually agreed Line of Actual Control, tension has only escalated between the two neighbouring countries.

problems of trespassing is due to lack of a clearly marked boundary

Defence expert Uday Bhaskar said, "As an analyst, I have come to one conclusion that such incidents will continue. Unless you have a line, there would be this kind of testing each other's presence."

"We have seen a steady pattern of such reports that Chinese troops have been entering into India territory. The flipside is that there are reports from the other side that India troops are also entering into territories that are deemed Chinese," he added.

Opposition slams BJP Government

The Congress has lashed out at the Modi Government over the latest incursion. "It's unfortunate that since this Government has come into power there have been many Chinese incursions, where is the coercive diplomacy? Where is the muscular diplomacy that they used to talk about," asked Congress leader Manish Tewari.

"The Government should protest against this. Any such border related issue must be resolved immediately, and it should be ensured that nothing of the sort happens again in the future," said NCP leader Tariq Anwar.

List of major Chinese incursions in the last two years

July 22, 2014: Some Chinese graziers pitched their tents on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control on Tuesday. This is the latest incursion reported.

July13, 2014 : Chinese troops had made two incursion attempts in July in Demchok and Chumar areas of Ladakh sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

March 16, 2014: Nine PLA(People's Liberation Army) soldiers first reached the border area in Chumar area in Ladakh on Sunday and retreated only after ITBP and Army jawans formed a human wall to block their incursion bid. However, in no time 10 more PLA personnel arrived on the scene riding horses and joined their colleagues to make attempts to move ahead into the Indian territory.

December 16, 2013: Around 20-22 Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers pitched around 8-10 tents in the west of Chepzi in Ladakh area. They returned after the flag meeting. Chepzi is close to Chumar area, which has been witness to a large number of incursions by the Chinese side in the last one year.

March 2013: In April, Chinese troops had entered 19 km inside Indian territory in the Daulat Beg Oldi sector and apprehended five Indian nationals in the Chumar area and took them to their camp across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in an apparent bid to stake their claim on the area and left the place only after long negotiations and a series of flag meetings between the two sides.

Seeing the series of incursions in the last few years, expectations are at peak from the Narendra Modi Government to take a tough stand and prove his muscular diplomacy.