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Why India-China standoff in Ladakh is a difficult challenge for Delhi?

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The ongoing India-China standoff in the Ladakh region has again exposed India’s military and strategic weaknesses. This is despite United States – and its western allies – attempting to strengthen Indian capabilities over the past two decades.

Goal of the western support was to build India to contain growing China. However, from the dynamics of this India-China standoff it appears that India is still no match to the Chinese military capability as this recent report published by the US think tank, Center for Security and International Studies (CSIS) shows. Here is a link:

What does China really spend on its military? CSIS Report

Background of India-China standoff in Ladakh

China-India relations had never fully recovered from a 1962 war in which Chinese troops seized territory from India on their Himalayan border. This border conflict turned into a full war that lead to serious defeat and humiliation for India – often remembered as the Himalayan Blunder in Indian strategic circles – borrowing from the title of book, “Himalayan Blunder” by Indian army officer, Brigadier John Dalvi, published in 1968.

However after the last serious clash between the two sides in Arunachal Pradesh in 1988, the then Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi met Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, in Beijing and series of border management agreements took place between both sides in 1993, 1996 and 2005 and relative calm prevailed till the stand off in Doklam in 2017.

India-China Standoff in Ladakh, May 2020

Recently, the Indian and Chinese forces faced each other across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) which is 2,521-mile long border between five Indian states and Tibet. First serious border skirmishes happened on May 5, when more than 100 Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in what has been described as fist fighting, hand to hand scuffles and use of sticks and rods. However no firearms were used.

While no clear explanation exists to this day as to what initiated this latest India-China standoff, but it’s widely believed that Chinese military is reacting to Indian build up of infrastructure in the border areas that involves new roads and air strips. Even the Ex-Indian foreign secretary, Nirupama Menon hints at this:
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Why India-China standoff in Ladakh is a difficult challenge for Delhi?
 
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