To understand present conflict between China and India one has to trace the history of Ladakh. Before August 2019 Ladakh has been part of Kashmir, which is main bone of contention between India and Pakistan since 1947. It is bordered by the Chinese Tibetan Region in the East, in South it is in Hamachal Pradesh and to the West Pakistani administered area of Gilgit and Biltistan. The Eastern end consisting of Aksai plains is claimed by the Indian government as part of Ladakh captured by China in 1962.Until 2019 Ladakh was region of State of Jammu and Kashmir annexed in union territory by India by annulling special status of Jammu & Kashmir granted under Article 370 and 25-A of Constitution illegallymade as part of union on 31 Oct 2019, to which people of Jammu & Kashmir protested as a result curfew was imposed on entire state on 5 August 2019 that is still continuing. Suddenly there was development in Ladakh. Since Ladakh is a strategically important Kashmir Region therefore Indian army has deployed military due to dispute with Pakistan and China.
On 15 June, clash took place between China and India in the Galwan valley. To understand the importance of Galwan valley, let us briefly go over Galwan valley fight and who initiated it. Let us see the map of the area of conflict to understand the dispute.’
If you look at the map below Galwan valley which is part of the disputed Ladakh region is located on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control, the common border. India had built roads and bridges and other infrastructure. On June 15, Indian soldiers tried to intrude in the area claimed by China, it resulted in a clash in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed besides wounding 76 as reported in physical fight with Chinese troops in the Galwan valley close to disputed Aksai Chin claimed by India; the Chinese only retaliated and as per reports suffered no casualties. According to reports China has occupied sizeable area of conflict and inflicted heavy casualties including Battalion commander. Question arises why Indian army which is loathed with high tech weaponry and latest art of the war machinery shall fall so quickly with no retaliation. It is because of the fact that India knows that she is no match to the Chinese army and has no locus standi. Once any army captures any area and consolidates its position it becomes difficult to dislocate him. India was trying to threaten CPEC route through illegal occupation and threat that could never be acceptable to China and Pakistan. There has been lot of criticism on PM Modi from public and retired armed forces officers. To express their anger over soldiers killed at the hands of Chinese soldiers an open letter has been addressed to Modi. The Contents of the letter are self explanatory extract is reproduced below.
“We the families of serving and retired personnel of the armed forces stand steadfast with our soldiers, our army. No, we are not scared; yes, we are praying for the safety of our men. But we need to know about what happened in Galwan Valley. I do understand there are reasons why strategic decisions or outcomes are not shared in the public domain. But with a super active social media, so many contradicting statements and horrifying photographs doing the rounds, where do we go, whom do we trust?
How did we suffer so many casualties, including that of a Commanding Officer, if there were no intrusions by China?
Not only were our soldiers barbarically killed, their bodies were mutilated. Why?
Did they enter the enemy territory on their own (as claimed by China) and got attacked in defence?
Why is there a new spin to the Ladakh Disaster, everyday?
Will we ever know the truth?
Did our soldiers fell into the trap laid by their own?
Our soldiers are not cannon fodder; they cannot be butchered for diplomatic gains. As crazy as it may sound, more than the Chinese military, it is you that we are warier of. Your policies, your directives and so ever evident step-motherly treatment to your very own arewhat concern us more. When the post of the Chief of the Defence Staff was created and it was communicated that all the tri-services, Indian Army, Navy, and Air forcewill come under one umbrella so that India is better protected, it was reassuring. We felt safe more, on all the frontiers.
But what is happening is completely opposite. We are facing a tough time both internally as well as externally. Even though every citizen of the country stands with our soldiers, the members of our armed forces are not in the highest of their sprits, because of your interventions to a large extent. The Ladakh disaster made it more than evident how the various Headquarters of the Indian army across the hierarchy stood clipped of all their powers, because of your constant interference. The whispers in the corridors are now the screams to save our soldiers from any such fiascos in the future. We lost our men in an unsoldierly manner and there are major cover-ups after cover-ups to hide the ground reality. Their blood could be on the hands of the political decision-makers and on YOURS too, to a large extent!
It certainly must be a nice feeling to have a powerful Godfather in the govt from the same village as yours. Someone, who protects you, gets you promoted superseding the other best, has a cushy appointment custom made for you so that you can serve your country for a longer period. Fantastic! Not everyone is so blessed.
With such a strong connection in the government and the incredible power it wields, imagine how beautifully the organisation would have benefited, if only, you STILL considered yourself truly part of this family of olive greens. But you preferred to play the part of the boss who loved to strip his own, of their basics. This reflects the feeling of retired officers of Indian armed forces.”Secondly retired generals and senior officers have raised many questions to Modi on this humiliating defeat by China in which large number of soldiers have beenkilled.
The point to understand is that Indian army at the moment is no more a professional army as it used to be in the past. Since the capture of Raj Dhani by Modi things have rapidly changed causing tremendous damage to its army because their use is now restricted to fighting their own people. Imagine since 5 August 2019 approximately one million army is deployed in the valley and over 9 million people are living under curfew. Any army which fights its own people loses the fighting potential against real enemy. Indian army otherwise isno match to Chinese army which is highly professional and one of the finest army of the world.
But we have to be alert as time and again reminded by our foreign minister that India may indulge again in some Flag Operation to divert the attention of its people. Our defence forces are ready to fight any aggression at any time but under the circumstances we should take the threat seriously and remain alert. It is time we win support of international community on Kashmir and Ladakh. We support fully China stand against India on this issue and ready to go to any extent. China Pakistan friendship Zinda bad, we assure our time tested friend China we were with you, we shall always remain with you.