BEIJING, Sep 16 (APP): The Chinese experts commenting on Indian defense ministers’ speech regarding China-India border conflict, warned that such a hard-line attitude may see border tensions extend into winter.
In a speech before the Indian parliament, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that the border dispute with China remains “unresolved” for now, and blamed China for “violating” the border agreement with India.
Chinese analysts noted that Singh was trying to ensure domestic support and defense budgets from parliament, especially amid the unprecedented economic recession, so he won’t admit that it was India which took the initiative to violate the agreement and unilaterally change the status quo.
Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that “the Indian army is facing great pressure as winter approaches, with the logistical costs potentially being huge, and due to a horrible economic recssion, Indian leaders understand that they are unable to launch a war against China.”
Data released by the National Statistical Office of India on August 31 showed India’s GDP in the April-June quarter of 2020-21 slumped 23.9 percent. Among major economies, India’s contraction was the sharpest.
“But in the Indian military, most soldiers are of low caste, so even if they suffer hundreds of non-combat casualties every year due to cold weather, the government can still bear the pressure as the decision-makers don’t really care about the lives of low caste individuals,” Hu said.
New Delhi is likely to let Indian troops do the same in Ladakh, and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) should be prepared for a long-term stand-off with tensions likely extend into winter, Hu noted, adding that although India dares not fight a war, small provocations would happen occasionally.
“Singh is telling the parliament that the long-term stand-off would be costly and Indian taxpayers should pay more to support the military, but in fact, it was Indian troops who broke the agreements numerous times, by firing into the air on the border and attacking Chinese soldiers to escalate tension, and the Indian military should be held accountable for the unnecessary spending and casualties,” said a Chinese expert.
Liu Zongyi, secretary general of China and South Asia Cooperation Research Center at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies said that, until today, India has deployed more troops than the Chinese military in the border region, and the 1993 and 1996 agreements between the two countries stated that the two sides are not allowed to use guns on the border, but it was the Indian military who broke the agreement first on September 8.
Singh’s statement displayed overconfidence originating from an overestimation of the Indian army’s capabilities, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times.
India believes that it has more frontline troops, and has prepared for a longer period of time, and that it is competent enough to win against the PLA. This is an illusion, Song said, noting that instigation from the US and India’s domestic factional struggle will not let India realize its actual situation.
Due to this illusionary confidence, India has already provoked China by crossing the LAC into the Chinese side. If it does not leave and all diplomatic attempts fail, the PLA will be left with no other choice but to push them out by force, Song said. The PLA, unlike the Indian army, is not overconfident, but aware that it can deal with the Indian aggression, Song said.
China’s military strength, including that in the border region, is far more superior to that of India in key areas including equipment, logistics, tactics and strategies, analysts said.
Liu said the Indian defense minister’s speech showed that the Modi administration was facing heavy domestic pressure, and now they were suffering from a dilemma. Launching a war against China will see it defeated badly, but withdrawing its troops to end the tension will disappoint domestic nationalists.
“This is very similar to the situation before the 1962 China-India border conflict, which is not a good sign for the two sides to solve the issue peacefully,” Liu further said.
