In major signs of tensions easing at LAC the disengagement between India and China has been completed from the hot springs at the Galwan valley in Ladakh. Watch report.

WION Dispatch: PLA pulling back from finger area, India-China begins disengagement process

India's decision to ramp up its border infrastructure has unsettled China. A new report has claimed that India's spending on LAC roads has tripled in the last four years. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more about India's strategy to protect the borders.

Gravitas: Ladakh standoff, Inside India's border strategy

In Ladakh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a strong message against China's 'expansionism'. With his visit, the Prime Minister has signaled that he is willing to take a more hands on approach to tackle the China challenge. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how PM Modi has made the fight against China a personal one.

Gravitas: Modi in Ladakh | Prime Minister makes clash a personal battle

China's attempt to spin the story of the Ladakh standoff in its favour has boomeranged. WION's palki Sharma tells you how a broadcast from the Chinese State Television could actually help India.

Gravitas: Ladakh standoff | China's propaganda boomerangs

the road transport and highways ministry has increased four-fold the allocation for maintenance of border roads managed by the Border Road Organisation (BRO) from Rs 30 crore to Rs 120 crore for this year.

Is China worried by India's push to build border infrastructure?

After tense border tensions between India-China, Chinese troops have started to pull back at certain locations at the LAC. The first images have emerged from Galway valley and have been taken near PP14.

WION Dispatch: Apache and MIG-29s pressed into action, First pictures released

IAF conducts massive night operations in Ladakh: First pictures from ground zero PP14

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi. The main focus was on the full and enduring restoration of peace and order and to work together to avoid such incidents in the future. Watch report.

WION Dispatch: India-China border tensions, India-China to work together on peace

India-China standoff: India's NSA held talks with Chinese FM

It's unusual for Indian leaders to visit a military front. But Prime Minister Modi's visit to an Indian military base in Ladakh amid a standoff with China was a risk worth taking. WION's Palki Sharma tells you why leaders around the world undertake such top-secret visits.

Gravitas: Modi's visit to Ladakh | Why do leaders visit war zones

Prime Minister Modi's visit to Ladakh highlights the strong contrast between him and Chinese President Xi Jinping. WION's Palki Sharma brings you the tale of the two leaders.

Gravitas: The stark contrast between Xi Jinping & Narendra Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches Ladakh to review the situation of the ongoing face-off between Indian and Chinese forces. The prime minister was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army chief MM Naravane. Sources said 14 Corps Commander briefed them about the situation on the ground.

Indian PM Narendra Modi reaches Ladakh to review situation

PM Modi paid a surprised visit to the injured jawans at the military hospital in Leh, where they were undergoing treatment since the ‘violent face-off’ in eastern Ladakh that left 20 jawans martyred. Now China has reacted to PM Modi's visit and said 'Hope India will follow Modi-Xi consensus'.

WION Dispatch: China reacts to PM Modi's Ladakh visit | India-China standoff

Amid the India-China standoff along the Line of Control(LAC), India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi today made a surprise visit to Ladakh to meets troops. Addressing troops at Ladakh amid the India-China standoff at LAC after the Galwan Valley clash with Chinese troops, PM Modi said: "The era of expansion has ended, now is the era of development, the idea of expansionism always destroys the world."

Indian PM Modi to soldiers: Your courage is higher than the mountains where you are posted

Indian PM Modi addresses soldiers in Ladakh amid India-China standoff

Any kind of escalation from either side should be avoided on the border, China said on Friday (July 3), after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Leh and Ladakh and was briefed by senior officers in Nimu amid ongoing tensions with China.

China reacts to Indian PM Modi's Ladakh visit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Leh in Ladakh to review the situation of the ongoing face-off between Indian and Chinese forces. The prime minister was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army chief MM Naravane. Sources said 14 Corps Commander briefed them about the situation on the ground.

Indian PM Modi interacts with troops in Ladakh amid standoff with China

In this segment, watch press briefing by Chinese foreign ministry. The briefing focussed on protests in Hong Kong against new security law and the ongoing India-China tensions.

China: 'Western countries trying to smear us will not succeed'

India and China will continue with the dialogue process in the Chushul sector. Commander level talks lasted for over 11 hours. Watch report.

WION Dispatch: India-China will continue to meet on LAC issue | Chushul sector | India-China standoff

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane will visit Leh on Friday and will review the security situation in Eastern Ladakh in view of the Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/with-indias-tiktok-ban-chinese-parent-company-bytedance-could-lose-up-to-6-billion-309991" hreflang="en">With India's TikTok ban, Chinese parent company ByteDance could lose up to $6 billion</a>

Last month on June 25, Naravane had visited the forward locations in Eastern Ladakh and later briefed important security functionaries including the Prime Minister, National Security Advisor and the Chief of Defence Staff about the ground situation in the Ladakh sector.

The situation at the India-China border remains tense after 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent face-off in Galwan valley on June 15-16 when Chinese troops attempted to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation.

India and China have been involved in talks to ease the ongoing border tensions since last month.

India and China have emphasised the need for an expeditious, phased and stepwise de-escalation of tension along the Line of Actual Control "as a priority" during the third commander level talks between the People`s Liberation Army and Indian Army held at Chushul, Ladakh, on June 30, sources said.

India and China have been engaged in discussions through established military and diplomatic channels to address the situation along the LAC in India-China border areas.

This was third senior military commander level engagement in Chushul held to discuss issues related to disengagement at the faceoff sites along the LAC and de-escalation from the border areas.

The second round of talks took place in Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC where the two sides reached a mutual consensus to disengage in the Eastern Ladakh sector.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane will visit Leh on Friday and will review the security situation in Eastern Ladakh in view of the Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane will visit Leh on Friday and will review the security situation in Eastern Ladakh in view of the Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Also read: With India's TikTok ban, Chinese parent company ByteDance could lose up to $6 billion Last month on June 25, Naravane had visited the forward locations in Eastern Ladakh and later briefed important security functionaries including the Prime Minister, National Security Advisor and the Chief of Defence Staff about the ground situation in the Ladakh sector. The situation at the India-China border remains tense after 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent face-off in Galwan valley on June 15-16 when Chinese troops attempted to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation. India and China have been involved in talks to ease the ongoing border tensions since last month. India and China have emphasised the need for an expeditious, phased and stepwise de-escalation of tension along the Line of Actual Control "as a priority" during the third commander level talks between the People`s Liberation Army and Indian Army held at Chushul, Ladakh, on June 30, sources said. India and China have been engaged in discussions through established military and diplomatic channels to address the situation along the LAC in India-China border areas. This was third senior military commander level engagement in Chushul held to discuss issues related to disengagement at the faceoff sites along the LAC and de-escalation from the border areas. The second round of talks took place in Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC where the two sides reached a mutual consensus to disengage in the Eastern Ladakh sector.

India-China standoff: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Army chief to visit Leh on Friday to review LAC situation

Chinese forces in Ladakh's Pangong lake have now inscribed a massive mandarin character and a map of China on the ground that they have occupied. Watch report.

Your Story: China map inscribed on Pangong Lake in Ladakh

Despite the marathon military-level talks between India and China, the news coming in from the Ladakh border is not encouraging. WION has learned from sources that amid talks of de-escalation between the two countries, greater mobilization and concentration of troops has been reported on both sides of the LAC. Watch report.

India-China standoff: 4 Pockets of friction at LAC, say sources

Top military commanders of Indian and Chinese armies are holding talks in Ladakh’s Chushul on June 30 in their third attempt to ease tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Watch report.

India-China standoff: Talks underway at Chushul side of LAC

WION Dispatch: Military-level talks underway in Chushul, India-China standoff

China claims ownership of Tibet due to historical mistakes that India was very much a part of. After the independence of Tibet, Dalai Lama's government was facing two big problems lack of stability and recognition. So Tibet reached out to Britain. The Shimla agreement established the Mc-Mahon line. It also divided Tibet into inner and outer regions.

During 1913-14, an understanding known as the Shimla Accord was marked between the delegates of British India, Tibet and China. The Accord separated Tibet into Inner and Outer Tibet. The terms gave China sway over Inner Tibet yet suzerainty over Outer Tibet which would keep on being administered by the Tibetan government at Lhasa.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-tibet-the-need-to-rectify-the-historical-wrongs-309515/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to the Anglo-Tibetan Declaration "The governments of Great Britain and China recognizing that Tibet is under the suzerainty of China, and recognizing also the autonomy of outer Tibet, engage to respect the territorial integrity of the country, and to abstain from interference in the administration of outer Tibet (including the selection and installation of the Dalai Lama), which shall remain in the hands of the Tibetan government at Lhasa. The Government of China engages not to convert Tibet into a Chinese province. The Government of Great Britain engages not to annex Tibet or any portion of it,".

China did not sign this accord, in 1949, Beijing invaded Tibet and India called the move 'deplorable' and 
'not in the interest of China or peace’.

New Delhi followed it up with a big blunder, in 1954, the govt of Jawaharlal Nehru signed the Panchsheel treaty in Beijing.

‘Agreement between the Republic of India and the people’s republic of china on trade and intercourse between India and the Tibet region of China’. India recognized china's claim over Tibet.

The point was hammered in —- in the year 2003. India's former Prime Minister — late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was visiting China. He signed a joint declaration along with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.

''The Indian side recognizes that the Tibet autonomous region is part of the territory of the people's republic of china and reiterates that it does not allow Tibetans to engage in anti-china political activities in India. The Chinese side expresses its appreciation for the Indian position and reiterates that it is firmly opposed to any attempt and action aimed at splitting China and bringing about "Independence of Tibet”.

While the two leaders agreed on the fate of a third nation. They could not reach common ground on the issue of the common border.

The two sides exchanged views on the India-China boundary question and expounded their respective positions. They reiterated their readiness to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution through consultations on an equal footing. 17 years on, there is no equal footing. Tibet, meanwhile, is facing the blows of historical wrongdoings.

China violated the Mc-Mahon line and India-China border region has become a hotbed of conflict.

The LAC is still neither defined, nor demarcated. Beijing continues to make use of every opportunity to grab land. 
 
The Galwan skirmish is one such example. In Tibet, 1.2 million people have died since the Chinese occupation. If there is one lesson we can draw from the situation. When it comes to conflicts — the past is never dead.

China claims ownership of Tibet due to historical mistakes that India was very much a part of. After the independence of Tibet, Dalai Lama's government was facing two big problems lack of stability and recognition.

China claims ownership of Tibet due to historical mistakes that India was very much a part of. After the independence of Tibet, Dalai Lama's government was facing two big problems lack of stability and recognition. So Tibet reached out to Britain. The Shimla agreement established the Mc-Mahon line. It also divided Tibet into inner and outer regions. During 1913-14, an understanding known as the Shimla Accord was marked between the delegates of British India, Tibet and China. The Accord separated Tibet into Inner and Outer Tibet. The terms gave China sway over Inner Tibet yet suzerainty over Outer Tibet which would keep on being administered by the Tibetan government at Lhasa. According to the Anglo-Tibetan Declaration "The governments of Great Britain and China recognizing that Tibet is under the suzerainty of China, and recognizing also the autonomy of outer Tibet, engage to respect the territorial integrity of the country, and to abstain from interference in the administration of outer Tibet (including the selection and installation of the Dalai Lama), which shall remain in the hands of the Tibetan government at Lhasa. The Government of China engages not to convert Tibet into a Chinese province. The Government of Great Britain engages not to annex Tibet or any portion of it,". China did not sign this accord, in 1949, Beijing invaded Tibet and India called the move 'deplorable' and 'not in the interest of China or peace’. New Delhi followed it up with a big blunder, in 1954, the govt of Jawaharlal Nehru signed the Panchsheel treaty in Beijing. ‘Agreement between the Republic of India and the people’s republic of china on trade and intercourse between India and the Tibet region of China’. India recognized china's claim over Tibet. The point was hammered in —- in the year 2003. India's former Prime Minister — late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was visiting China. He signed a joint declaration along with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao. ''The Indian side recognizes that the Tibet autonomous region is part of the territory of the people's republic of china and reiterates that it does not allow Tibetans to engage in anti-china political activities in India. The Chinese side expresses its appreciation for the Indian position and reiterates that it is firmly opposed to any attempt and action aimed at splitting China and bringing about "Independence of Tibet”. While the two leaders agreed on the fate of a third nation. They could not reach common ground on the issue of the common border. The two sides exchanged views on the India-China boundary question and expounded their respective positions. They reiterated their readiness to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution through consultations on an equal footing. 17 years on, there is no equal footing. Tibet, meanwhile, is facing the blows of historical wrongdoings. China violated the Mc-Mahon line and India-China border region has become a hotbed of conflict. The LAC is still neither defined, nor demarcated. Beijing continues to make use of every opportunity to grab land. The Galwan skirmish is one such example. In Tibet, 1.2 million people have died since the Chinese occupation. If there is one lesson we can draw from the situation. When it comes to conflicts — the past is never dead.

Tibet: The need to rectify the ‘Himalayan Blunder’

Calling China's military aggression against India a threat, The United States is reviewing its global troop deployment. Meanwhile, The Global Times has spilled the beans on Chinese casualties in the border clash with India. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you how the pressure on China and its military is building.

Gravitas: How Global Times punctured China's 'no causalities' claim

Air surveillance was increased on Ladakh LAC after India-China face-off. Watch this video to know more.

Air surveillance increased on Ladakh LAC after Galwan face-off

With the talks of disengagement along the LAC, India, and China have been holding diplomatic and military level talks constantly. Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said "Because of the massive build on the Chinese side, the situation took a serious turn on the LAC. The Chinese side must respect the sanity of the LAC, and respect border understanding in order to reduce tensions."

India-China standoff: Indian MEA on border row with China

The adventurism of China in Ladakh and a few other places along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the&nbsp;standoff between Chinese and Indian Forces have&nbsp;once again highlighted the complexity of the border issue between the two countries.

The fact that 22 rounds of special representative-level talks have taken place between India and China in the last 30 years,&nbsp;and the resolution of the border issue is nowhere in sight, speaks of the magnanimity of the problem. LAC, irrespective of differing perceptions, continues to be a compromise formula,&nbsp;which has its own pitfalls in bringing peace and tranquillity, because perceptions can be repeatedly stretched beyond limits&nbsp;if the intentions change, as has been the case with Chinese so many times. The idea of managing peace and tranquillity through agreements and&nbsp;Confidence-building measures (CBMs) has not been found effective enough.

Defining the Complexity of China-India Border Issue &nbsp;&nbsp;

People's Republic of China refused to ratify the Simla Agreement of 1914, signed between British India and Tibet. The Indian stance generally follows Johnson Line (1865) in Ladakh and McMahon Line in East. When Maharaja Hari Singh signed Instrument of Accession, Aksai Chin was part of it; hence, it rightfully belonged to India. India should have compelled China to accept the Shimla Agreement before recognising Tibet as part of Beijing. There is, therefore, no mutually agreed border treaty between Independent India and PRC. China can never be trusted, and hence, India can also have a relook at old treaties/recognitions with China. &nbsp;

It is often mentioned that China has resolved its border dispute with several other countries, however, Chinese argue that it was done on give and take principle. India and China interpret history as it suits them, which is unlikely to change easily. Expecting India to give Tawang or China to give back Akshai Chin is unlikely to be accepted by domestic constituencies on both sides. It is for this reason that every time when the talks start on border resolution, it invariably ends with additional measures for the management of undefined, LAC. &nbsp;

Why is Graceful Disengagement along the LAC Difficult?&nbsp;

LAC, by definition, indicates loosely demarcated areas under the actual control of Chinese and Indian Forces. The term was used by Zhou Enlai in his note to Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru in 1959, followed by respective positions in 1960 and post 1962 conflict, with some unheld areas in between, and later used for negotiations since 1993, with a provision that it does not impact respective positions adopted by both countries on unresolved Border Issue. Both countries have their own perception of LAC and in certain areas these perception overlap. As LAC is not demarcated, Chinese, with scant regards to international agreements and obligations, use non-demarcation as an opportunity to pursue their ‘Strategy of Incremental Encroachment’ by laying fresh claims (Galwan Valley) and following it up with troops buildup/infrastructure development till resisted and stop just short of conflict. An opposing build-up by Indian Forces leads to ‘Standoff' each time.&nbsp;

The problem in the resolution of standoff is that a graceful retreat becomes extremely difficult due to rising sentiments/ nationalism in respective countries and media glare, thus increasing the political cost of any compromise by either side. Galwan/Pangong Tso is neither the first nor the last standoff between the two countries as&nbsp;the demarcation of LAC is doable, provided both sides “Agree to Agree”. Chinese, however, continue to drag their feet in doing so, as they fear that it will become de facto border, forcing them to forego their claims made in 1959, including Tawang and take away an opportunity to needle India, whenever it has any major divergence in strategic interests. Having developed their infrastructure up to LAC earlier than India, China does not want to let go of this comparative strategic advantage by denying similar infrastructure development by India. &nbsp;

In my opinion, the delimitation and demarcation of LAC will happen only, when the political/strategic cost of not doing so will increase for China. It could happen when China faces insurmountable military pressure on South-Eastern seaboard from a group of countries, in response to Chinese adventurism in Indo-Pacific. China, having recovered early from COVID-19, has unfairly used it as an opportunity to make quick gains in claimed areas amidst pandemic and unfair profiteering from ‘Health Silk Road’ igniting global anger. Chinese aggressiveness in South and East China Sea, blocking of global sea-lane of communication and freedom of flights, coupled with a declaration of independence by Taiwan can create such conditions, along with economic decoupling, resulting in internal dissent in the mainland, Hong Kong, and heightened rivalry with the US with accidental triggers. &nbsp;

China, on its part, will try to stop its adventurism just short of war, in consonance with Sun Tzu’s principle of ‘winning without fighting’. India will have to walk an extra mile in Indo-Pacific engagements like QUAD, and target all vulnerabilities of China, in coordination with&nbsp;like-minded countries. Till then China and India will continue with a tug of war along the&nbsp;LAC.&nbsp;

&nbsp;(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) &nbsp;

The adventurism of China in Ladakh and a few other places along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the standoff between Chinese and Indian Forces have once again highlighted the complexity of the border issue between the two countries.

The adventurism of China in Ladakh and a few other places along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the standoff between Chinese and Indian Forces have once again highlighted the complexity of the border issue between the two countries. The fact that 22 rounds of special representative-level talks have taken place between India and China in the last 30 years, and the resolution of the border issue is nowhere in sight, speaks of the magnanimity of the problem. LAC, irrespective of differing perceptions, continues to be a compromise formula, which has its own pitfalls in bringing peace and tranquillity, because perceptions can be repeatedly stretched beyond limits if the intentions change, as has been the case with Chinese so many times. The idea of managing peace and tranquillity through agreements and Confidence-building measures (CBMs) has not been found effective enough. Defining the Complexity of China-India Border Issue People's Republic of China refused to ratify the Simla Agreement of 1914, signed between British India and Tibet. The Indian stance generally follows Johnson Line (1865) in Ladakh and McMahon Line in East. When Maharaja Hari Singh signed Instrument of Accession, Aksai Chin was part of it; hence, it rightfully belonged to India. India should have compelled China to accept the Shimla Agreement before recognising Tibet as part of Beijing. There is, therefore, no mutually agreed border treaty between Independent India and PRC. China can never be trusted, and hence, India can also have a relook at old treaties/recognitions with China. It is often mentioned that China has resolved its border dispute with several other countries, however, Chinese argue that it was done on give and take principle. India and China interpret history as it suits them, which is unlikely to change easily. Expecting India to give Tawang or China to give back Akshai Chin is unlikely to be accepted by domestic constituencies on both sides. It is for this reason that every time when the talks start on border resolution, it invariably ends with additional measures for the management of undefined, LAC. Why is Graceful Disengagement along the LAC Difficult? LAC, by definition, indicates loosely demarcated areas under the actual control of Chinese and Indian Forces. The term was used by Zhou Enlai in his note to Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru in 1959, followed by respective positions in 1960 and post 1962 conflict, with some unheld areas in between, and later used for negotiations since 1993, with a provision that it does not impact respective positions adopted by both countries on unresolved Border Issue. Both countries have their own perception of LAC and in certain areas these perception overlap. As LAC is not demarcated, Chinese, with scant regards to international agreements and obligations, use non-demarcation as an opportunity to pursue their ‘Strategy of Incremental Encroachment’ by laying fresh claims (Galwan Valley) and following it up with troops buildup/infrastructure development till resisted and stop just short of conflict. An opposing build-up by Indian Forces leads to ‘Standoff' each time. The problem in the resolution of standoff is that a graceful retreat becomes extremely difficult due to rising sentiments/ nationalism in respective countries and media glare, thus increasing the political cost of any compromise by either side. Galwan/Pangong Tso is neither the first nor the last standoff between the two countries as the demarcation of LAC is doable, provided both sides “Agree to Agree”. Chinese, however, continue to drag their feet in doing so, as they fear that it will become de facto border, forcing them to forego their claims made in 1959, including Tawang and take away an opportunity to needle India, whenever it has any major divergence in strategic interests. Having developed their infrastructure up to LAC earlier than India, China does not want to let go of this comparative strategic advantage by denying similar infrastructure development by India. In my opinion, the delimitation and demarcation of LAC will happen only, when the political/strategic cost of not doing so will increase for China. It could happen when China faces insurmountable military pressure on South-Eastern seaboard from a group of countries, in response to Chinese adventurism in Indo-Pacific. China, having recovered early from COVID-19, has unfairly used it as an opportunity to make quick gains in claimed areas amidst pandemic and unfair profiteering from ‘Health Silk Road’ igniting global anger. Chinese aggressiveness in South and East China Sea, blocking of global sea-lane of communication and freedom of flights, coupled with a declaration of independence by Taiwan can create such conditions, along with economic decoupling, resulting in internal dissent in the mainland, Hong Kong, and heightened rivalry with the US with accidental triggers. China, on its part, will try to stop its adventurism just short of war, in consonance with Sun Tzu’s principle of ‘winning without fighting’. India will have to walk an extra mile in Indo-Pacific engagements like QUAD, and target all vulnerabilities of China, in coordination with like-minded countries. Till then China and India will continue with a tug of war along the LAC. (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

Why the resolution of border dispute between China and India is complicated?

In the latest India and China have begun disengagement at the three flashpoints along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Chinese troops have started to withdraw from the Indian territory. However, the sources have told WION that the Indian side is cautiously observing the Chinese moves and the situation will be verified on the ground over some time. Watch report.

India-China border tensions: Chinese troops begin withdrawal,  Disengagement at 3 flashpoints |

India-China border tensions: Chinese troops begin withdrawal from Indian territory

ladakh

Ladakh, News on Ladakh, stories on Ladakh, articles on Ladakh, Ladakh stories at Wion, Ladakh news, Ladakh latest news