India, apparently one of the largest democracies in the world is growing concerns over its ability to safeguard its border against external pressure from China. This issue has been exacerbated by China’s recent moves, such as including the disputed regions of Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh in its official maps in 2023. These developments have sparked renewed concerns about India’s ability to defend its territorial integrity and assert its claims on contentious border areas.
The territorial disputes between India and China have long exposed cracks in India’s ability to safeguard its borders, but the scale of its failures becomes even more glaring when measured in square kilometers and meters. In the 1962 Sino-Indian War, India lost 38,000 square kilometers of territory in Aksai Chin to China, a loss that remains a haunting reminder of its inability to defend its borders. Fast forward to the Galwan Valley skirmish in 2020, China occupied strategic areas of Indian territory without firing a single bullet. These incidents highlight not only the Indian military’s inability to defend its land but also its unwillingness to take a firm stand. Compounding these failures is India’s diplomatic ineffectiveness, even with U.S. backing, to prevent or reverse Chinese territorial gains. The lack of success on both military and diplomatic fronts underscores India’s vulnerability in the face of a more assertive China, raising significant concerns over its claims to regional power and its ability to maintain sovereignty.
Aksai Chin, one of the two major disputed regions between India and China, lies at the heart of this geopolitical struggle. China asserts that Aksai Chin is part of its Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Tibet Autonomous Region. On the other hand, India maintains that Aksai Chin is part of the Union Territory of Ladakh. The dividing line between these claims, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), has remained a flashpoint for tensions between the two nations. The historical roots of the conflict date back to the 1962 Sino-Indian War, during which India lost control over Aksai Chin. Critics of the Indian government have often cited this as a significant failure, one that has had enduring repercussions on India’s border policy and strategic posture. Despite this, the status of Aksai Chin remains unresolved, and China’s administrative maneuvers in the region continue to challenge India’s claims.
In April 2020, tensions between India and China flared once again along the LAC. This prolonged military standoff, marked by clashes such as the Galwan Valley skirmish, underscored the fragile nature of the border agreement between the two nations. The escalation highlighted not only the strategic importance of the region but also the complexities involved in resolving the dispute. Since the onset of the standoff, multiple rounds of diplomatic and military-level talks have been held, including the 23rd round of boundary negotiations. However, these discussions have yielded limited progress. Critics argue that Indian negotiators are always struggling hard to make a compelling case for reclaiming Aksai Chin, leaving the impression that the disputed territory remains firmly under Chinese control.
National security is not just about protecting borders but also about ensuring that citizens feel secure and that the government is capable of defending the country’s sovereignty. When authorities are perceived as unable or unwilling to respond decisively to external aggression, it signals a dangerous precedent. India’s citizens have every reason to be deeply concerned about the inability of higher authorities to effectively safeguard its borders, as this directly threatens the nation’s security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity because as per news China has formalized occupation of 38000 square kilometers. With persistent tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), particularly in regions like Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian government’s approach to handling external threats from China raises questions about their ability to govern.
Dr. Subramanian Swamy’s (Former Minister of Law and Justice of India) claims in a recent podcast is even more alarming. He claimed that the Prime Minister held undisclosed meetings with Chinese officials at the government level, despite public denials, raising serious concerns. Such meetings occurred without proper disclosure or follow-up actions to address the ongoing border tensions, it reflects a troubling lack of priority given to national security. Denying or downplaying engagements with a rival nation during heightened tensions damages credibility and raises questions about the India’s capacity to protecting its territorial integrity. Citizens deserve to know whether these meetings served India’s strategic interests or simply allowed the government to fulfill its agenda and mission.
Recent developments in Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh cast significant doubt on India’s claim to regional power status. These incidents highlight the contradictions in India’s strategic posture, which appears to oscillate between exerting influence over smaller neighboring states and adopting a submissive stance toward more powerful nations. This dual approach exposes the inherent flaws in India’s foreign policy, revealing a tendency to mislead both its domestic audience and the international community. While India portrays itself as a rising global power, its inability to address challenges in its own backyard undermines this narrative. The contrast between its assertive rhetoric and the realities on the ground raises critical questions about the effectiveness and consistency of its geopolitical strategies. These actions not only weaken India’s credibility on the world stage but also reflect poorly on its long-term vision for regional stability and leadership.
