look news india
The geopolitical conflict between India and China regarding the ongoing border dispute and patrolling on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has once again intensified. Amid bilateral efforts to restore peace and stability in the border areas, China has tried a new maneuver on the media and diplomatic front. ‘Global Times’, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), has targeted India through a recent article and editorial and directly linked the ongoing border tension and border management issues to India’s domestic politics. This step of China is being seen as a deliberate strategy to influence the environment of bilateral talks and divert attention from its regional aggression.
#1 China’s new move and Global Times’ taunt
A review is underway to implement the agreements reached between the armies of India and China regarding patrolling rules and border management from eastern Ladakh to the forward areas of Arunachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, Global Times has claimed that the Indian leadership and security agencies are raking up sensitive border issues with the aim of taking domestic political advantage and cashing in on nationalist sentiments. Chinese media says that whenever there is an election atmosphere in India or any debate starts in internal politics, aggressive rhetoric regarding the situation on LAC is intensified. The Chinese propaganda machinery also alleged that New Delhi’s policies are designed to cater to the domestic voter base rather than maintaining peace on the border.
#1 Stand of Indian Army and External Affairs Ministry
The Indian government and defense experts have completely rejected this narrative of China. Top officials of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Army have repeatedly stressed that India’s territorial integrity and border security is entirely a matter of the country’s sovereignty, which has nothing to do with domestic politics in any way. ITBP and Indian Army personnel are continuously patrolling their borders with full vigilance in various sectors of Arunachal Pradesh and Eastern Ladakh. The Indian side has taken a clear stand that unless complete peace and pre-2020 status quo is restored in the border areas, it is not possible to achieve complete normality in bilateral relations.
#1 Chinese attempt to create diplomatic pressure
Experts believe that through Global Times, China is trying to send a message to the international community and the Indian public that India is responsible for not allowing the border dispute to be resolved. Strategic analysts say that this attitude of China is not new; Whenever India rapidly develops infrastructure in its border areas or strengthens its patrolling capabilities, Beijing tries to divert attention by resorting to information warfare. Despite the ongoing rounds of talks between the military commanders and special representatives of the two countries on the LAC, such statements deepen the trust deficit between the two sides.
#1 Border management and future strategic outlook
India has always supported maintenance of peace on the border through dialogue and adherence to established agreements. However, it is clear from the rhetoric of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersons and propaganda media that instead of finding a permanent solution to the border dispute, China wants to maintain psychological and strategic pressure on India by delaying the issue for a long time. In response to this, India has also made it clear that there will be no compromise in the matter of protecting every inch of its land and legitimate patrolling rights.