After a clash in Galwan valley between India and China in June, tensions along the border have been rising sharply. India lost 20 of its soldiers in the clash whereas Indian troops also killed many Chinese soldiers whose numbers are still unavailable as China claims that they had not lost any army officials.
The clash took place when Indian soldiers went for an inspection to check whether the Chinese army has removed its base form the Indian territory but the Chinese army attacked the Indian soldiers with wire batons and stones to which Indian soldiers also retaliated. Since then the border relations of both countries have further worsened.
There is no wrong in saying that China has a stronger military than India. But the Indian soldiers are much better and war hardened than Chinese troops in fighting in extreme conditions. In 2019 China spent around $261 billion on its defense sector on the other hand India only spent $71 billion. It is true that China has more weapons but in terms of soldiers, India has an upper hand over China. According to Harvard Kennedy School, the Indian Air Force is much stronger than the Chinese Air Force.
Both countries have been engaged in a standoff since April and the Chinese have refused to leave the areas in no man’s land along LAC of eastern Ladakh. Since then India has been breaking China’s myths of an unbeatable army in different ways. Many strategic experts believe that the development in India has changed the argument that China has an upper hand over India. India has been holding against China that has a much greater military and economy face to face since April proves that the myth of China’s army doesn’t fail is not holding any more weight now.
Indian army is on constant movement along the LAC to keep an eye on the Chinese army. Indian army is experienced in fighting in these extreme conditions which gives them an advantage over the Chinese army. Recently India had captured the top five posts to the south of Pangong Tso which has bought the ball in India’s court. The security of these top peaks has been given to Special Frontier Forces which comprises soldiers from Tibet as those heights could give a tactical advantage to India and a disadvantage to Chinese forces.
After receiving great damage by India, China has started deploying more soldiers and weapons along the border to showcase its power. Till now China has deployed around fifty thousand troops with destructive weapons.
China has also made statements that were unbelievable. These statements have been given by their ministry of foreign affairs, defense ministry, and from the Communist Party. The pentagon’s annual report on Chinas’ Naval army proclaimed that the People’s Liberation Army has the strongest and largest naval force in the world and highlighted it’s abilities.
In a reply to which the former director of the National Security Council of India Tara Kartha said that such reports can’t cast any effect on India’s decision to protect Ladakh from the Chinese Army. She also said that China’s aggressive warnings were unnecessary as it can’t change Center’s decision.
A much bigger argument was there that India has a $2 trillion economy while China has a five-time greater economy than India which means that China has a great advantage over India. They have a much bigger army, more destructive weapons, etc. so India is no match for China but Indian has already given results by facing China on the border without any sight of fear.
The Chinese army has failed against India at the border and this failure will bring consequences for Chinese President XI Jinping. According to a leading newspaper in the US the Chinese President has risked his future by engaging with India. The Indian soldiers are more on defense but they are bolder and better than the Chinese army. This setback of the Chinese army in Ladakh has bought problems for Xi Jinping which eventually will affect the Chinese people.
With all this damage the Chinese army has started understanding that facing the Indian army in Ladakh will not be an easy task. India has received support from its friendly countries such as America, Australia, Russia, and France. The Indian government is trying its best to make the country’s army much stronger and better than the early one. A new feeling of hope has arisen in the Indian Army as France has given the first set of Rafale Jets to India. The Jets have already landed and based at the Ambala airbase which is closest to the Ladakh border. The Rafale jets will surely boost the Indian Army’s confidence.
