Since the beginning, Indian governments have never been keen on resolving territorial issues with neighbouring countries, whether it were the former or the present Narendra Modi’s government. All along and attitude of hegemony has been displayed versus small neighbouring countries and apparent conciliatory tone with the bigger one. If any dialogue process was ever initiated, the underlying objective was to hoodwink the international community.
New Delhi has built a new road to connect Dharchula in the state of Uttarkand to Lipu Lekh Pass, near to actual Line of Control with China. India has 3500 kilometer long un-demarcated border with China. The link road passes through Kalapani, which is a disputed territory between India and Nepal. Indian government claims that new road infrastructure will provide a shorter route for pilgrims to Kailash-Mansarovar. However, the real intention is to keep an eye on China as Lipu Lekh Pass is on the actual Line of Control. Hence, its strategic dimension cannot be ignored. It merits mention that India has strategic partnership with the United States (US), a component of China’s containment policy of the latter. US led World Order is dying and the China led is emerging.
Darchula-Lipu Lekh Pass road has created tension between India and Nepal on the one hand and with China on the other. Indian leadership has always preferred to use the territorial disputes as foreign policy tool to bully smaller neighbours. On the contrary in case of big and strong neighbour the behaviour is soft. To counter the strategic ambitions of India, China marched its troops on the India’s occupied disputed Ladakh area; expelled the deployed Indian army contingent, and took a number of prisoners of war. The Chinese army camp, consisting of 5,000 troops, was established. But the Indian Army Chief has downplayed the debacle in Ladakh by saying that issues pertaining to territorial dispute with Nepal in Lipu Lekh region, China-Sikam border with India and territorial claim in Ladakh region are not interconnected. The statement invited sharp critique from the Indian defence analysts. In their point of view, entry of Chinese troops and setting up military camp there is clear defeat of Indian forces deployed in the area. India’s civil and military leadership, which is otherwise fond of media trial of Pakistan, is reluctant to make any public statement on what happened in Ladakh. But criticism on the social media reveals that India has lost hundreds of kilometers of its occupied territory to China and the defeat of Indian forces is being portrayed as second Kargil, a reference to the retreat made in this sector on the Line of Control with Pakistan in 1999. Creation of recent tension by India with Nepal and China serves a lesson to the so called liberals in Pakistan who indulge in head bashing of their leadership for the unresolved disputes, be it the core issue of Kashmir or demarcation in Siachen and Sir Creek. In their biased opinion, they ignore the ceasefire violations on the Line of Control.
