India never suspected that China would ever launch an attack, but it did. India was attacked on October 20, 1962 in what famously came to be known as Sino-India war of 1962. The belief of not ever being attacked by China did not let the Indian army prepare and the result was the standoff between 10,000-20,000 Indian troops and 80,000 Chinese troops. The war continued for about a month and ended on November 21, after China declared a ceasefire.
The scenario is much different now. India has learned its lesson and is more than prepared to take out China, if war becomes the dark reality. The tension is developing between both the nations.
Currently, and the most important right now is the Doka-La issue between India and China. In June 2017, India accused China for constructing a road in the Doklam Plateau for which the objection has been raised by the Royal Bhutanese Army. India intervened into the matter asking the Chinese PLA to halt the construction. China claims the Doklam Plateau that is close to Chumbi Valley at the corner of the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction near Sikkim sector.
Evidently, China has destroyed two bunkers of the Indian Army near the Doklam region and has called off the Xi-Modi meeting at G-20 summit until India takes the army back. In the end, the meeting between Xi-Modi happened and it resulted in the withdrawing of Indian troops from the area and China dropping the idea to build the road, at least for now.
Diamer-Bhasha Dam in PoK
Apart from Doklam, India has consistently saying no to the construction of road under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that is supposed to pass from the Pak-Occupied Kashmir as it can worsen the agitation in Kashmir valley. According to India, it violates its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the region. Currently, Pakistan itself has refused the $14 billion aid for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam on Indus in PoK. The reason was that Pakistan found the conditions quite
Source: Indian Express
China is the regular huddle in India’s entry to Nuclear Supplier’s Group. According to China, India should first sign NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) with them. Apart from this, China’s gesture to block the banning of Jaish-e-Mohammad Chief, Masood Azhar, had caused ripples on the ties between India and China. China was the only member among the 15-member United Nation Security Council (UNSC) to oppose and veto the declaration. China said, officially that, “will allow more time for the committee to deliberate on the matter and for relevant parties to have further consultations,” for vetoing the proposal.
Source: www.clearias.com
Territorial issues like occupying the Leh region and naming it Aksai Chin and claiming Arunachal Pradesh as its own part are still not solved and has always served as the bubbles in the forging iron. Apart from that, construction of huge dam on Brahmaputra (Tsangpo) river has not been well swallowed by Indian government.
China is considering the possible future war scenario. China is buttressing its military presence in South China Sea by fortifying the islands. China is also keeping a close eye on Arabian Sea and increased its involvement in Pakistan.
As we can see, the tension is rising between the two fastest growing economies. The Dragon vs. Tiger face-off in the battle-field can be an unpleasant scenario for both countries as well as for the world as both are capable of causing ‘Nuclear Holocaust’. A war at this time would puncture the economic growth of both the countries. It would send them to the gallows of the economic dark age, at least for a decade. The war at this time should be avoided at any cost. India is trying its best but it takes two-to-tango and China seems not interested in the dance.
