Ancient human civilizations thrived in the vast plains of present day India and China and both the countries had a long cultural and trade relations through the ages through the difficult silk and sea routes.
Presently both next door neighbours China and India are adjudged the most developing nations having enormous natural and human resources. China and India are now hosting the 2nd highest and highest number of global population and are 4th and 7th largest countries according to land area. Now China and India are the 2nd and 5th global economic powers as per total economy (disparity among richest few and larger paupers are not reflected) and 3rd and 4th global military powers.
Very unfortunately in stead of behaving as good neighbours both of the giant states are behaving like contenders and enemies.
After China’s occupation of Tibet along with Mt. Kailash and Mansarovar in 1950 – ’51 the situation deteriorated which culminated in a full fledged devastating Sino – Indian War in 1962 where India lost a chunk of land in Aksai chin and NEFA.
Since then border tensions and clashes became regular features on the Imperialist British created notional McMohan Border Line and since then Chinese PLA intermittently intruded Ladakh, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Sectors and held few strategic areas beyond Aksai chin at Gogra Hot Spring and Pangong Tso areas of Ladakh where LAC shifted westwards at patrol point 17A as well as some strategic points of Arunachal.
The bigger border stand offs, skirmishes and clashes are:
(1) Nathu La and Cho La incidences in Sikkim (1967).
(2) Tulung La incidence in Arunachal Pradesh (1975).
(3) Samdorong Chu Valley incidence in Arunachal Pradesh (1985).
(4) Doklam incidence at Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet (China) tri – junction (1987).
(5) Galwan incidences in Ladakh (2020 – ’21).
(Chu = river, La = Gorge and Tso = Lake in Tibetan language).
Now both of the counties have been heavily fortifying both slopes of the evolving and seismically vulnerable Himalayas through massive all seasoned rail – road projects, establishing anti bombardment bunkers, advanced garrisons, air strips and air bases, deployment of long range mortars, modern tanks, armourer vehicles, explosives and missiles etc., which are not only war threats but are very detrimental for the overall environment of this crucial region from where the major rivers of India originated.
Again new tension points have been developed in the erstwhile placid Karakoram region. Now the serene splendid Karakoram becomes a hot bed between India and China.
The Karakoram is the second highest mountain range on the earth and is a part of complex of ranges that includes the Pamir Mountain, the Hindu Kush Mountain and the Himalayas. Most of the Karakoram Mountain Range falls under the Gilgit – Baltistan Province of Pakistan within Pak Occupied Kashmir (POK) which consists of the northern portion of the larger Kashmir region. This area has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and between India and China since 1959 and the tension was escalated since 1962 when Pakistan and China started building friendship road through the Karakoram region.
The Pak portion of the Karakoram borders Wakhan Corridor of Afganistan to the north, the Xinjiang Uugur AR of China to the north – east and east, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir provinces of Pakistan to the west and south and Siachen Glacier and Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory of India to the south and south – east. Gilgit, Indus and Shyak rivers are flowing through the southern boundary.
Very sparsely populated area (average population density 20 per sq km, 2017). Gilgit is the capital and Skardu is the largest city. Home to all > 8000 m (>23000 ft) snowy peaks of Pakistan including K2 (8611m) and Nanga Parbat (8126m) along with large glaciers and lakes. Old silk routes are now converted to all weather military roads. China is doing construction, development and commercial related activities here. Shins, Yaskuns, Kashmiris, Khasgaris, Pamiris, Pathans, Kohistanis etc. ethnic people are residing here. They are Muslims comprising 40% Shias, 30% Sunnis, 24% Ismailis and 6% Nurbakshis.
The Karakoram Shin is called in the Chinese part which is bound on the east by Aksai Chin plateau (taken by China from India in 1962 war) which is again connected to Tibetan plateau and on the north Yarkand and Karakash river valleys beyond which lies the Kunlun Mountain. This water shade area between Central and South Asia is now well connected modern military roads with air support. China again had taken up the Karakoram Highway (N35) which was initially from high altitude Khunjab Pass of Pak – China border (beyond that it is linked with Khasgar through China NH 314 and beyond with Asian Highway AH 4) down the disputed area upto Hasan Abdar of Pak Punjab, for reconstruction, expansion and extension upto Gwadar sea port and Dalband Railway Junction of Pak Balochistan.
After fortification of its advanced positions at occupied Pangong Tso and Galwan areas China is now encircling India controlled Siachen Glacier by fortification and building military roads and bases in Shaksgram Valley of POK , ceded to them by Pakistan in 1963, Saltore Range and Karakoram Pass adjacent places north to Nubra River and the high altitude war theatre Siachen and trying to connect Aksai Chin directly with the Karakoram causing escalation of tension between India and China and will be a major threat to the Indian advanced landing ground at Daulat Beg Oldi (5,100m) in between North Ladakh and Tarim Basin adjacent to Chipchop river and PLA posts of West Aksai Chin. This strategic air strip is connenced by a thin, treacherous and 235 km long Darbuk – Shyok – DBO Road with the mainland.
We hope people of the two great countries having long friendship will deliver immense pressure to the hawkish rulers for de – escalation of border tensions, de – militarisation of the tranquil mountains and resolving all border disputes through peaceful and permanent settlement.
28.07.2024
