Sunday, 13 Oct, 2024
By: Yash Gupte
India and China have been involved in number of conflicts and even a full-fledged war. The primary reason being the conflicts along the 3,400-km long border. Both the countries engaged in a war in 1962. Sixty years later, they clashed in Galwan valley in Ladakh that resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian and unknown number of Chinese soldiers.
India and China have been involved in number of conflicts and even a full-fledged war. The primary reason being the conflicts along the 3,400-km long border. Both the countries engaged in a war in 1962. Sixty years later, they clashed in Galwan valley in Ladakh that resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian and unknown number of Chinese soldiers. Though there have been many talks and negotiations between the governments and even the armed forces of both the countries, it has only been able to establish temporary peace and tranquility but nothing beyond that. The major points of confrontation since 2020 include the Galwan valley, Gogra Hot Springs, Pangong Tso, Chushul and the Depsang Plains. Though there had been more than 15 Corps-Commander level talks between the two neighbors, the conflict has not been effectively de-escalated.
Over the years, China has tried to increase its defense capabilities and strengthen its military. Similarly, it has also stationed a large number of troops and weapons systems along the Sino-Indian border. Since 2020, China has been rapidly constructing roads and highways along the border areas in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh. Also, a new land border law in China went into effect, giving its army authority to protect its territory and take action against "invasion, encroachment, infiltration, and provocation." Additionally, China is building a bridge across the Pangong Tso Lake, which India claims as its own. As a display of soft power, China has even renamed 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh on the basis of historical and administrative jurisdiction over the area.
The Table below provides a comparison of India and China’s defense budget and defense capabilities.
Source: www.globalfirepower.com and World Bank.
From the above table, it is clear that China has an upper hand over India economically as well as militarily. China has been successfully able to increase its defense capabilities over the years Though China has world’s second largest defense budget, it spends only 1.2% of the GDP on defense. Not only this, but China has been also focusing on developing latest defense technology. China witnessed a massive increase in defense budget from $141 Billion in 2015 to $293 Billion in 2022. In the 1990s, China possessed vintage aircraft like Soviet MiG 19 and MiG 21s. However, since then, it has been modernizing its air force at a rapid rate. Today, China has some of the world’s best 4.5th generation aircraft which include Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-16.
Since the year 2015, China has been aggressively increasing its defense equipment due to its aim of establishing itself as a superpower in the Indo-pacific region. As per a report published by the US Congressional Research service, China overtook USA with the largest navy in the world with 348 ships. Coming over to nuclear stockpiles, China had 206 nuclear warheads in the year 2011 and the tally increased to 272 in 2021 and as per the estimation of US Department of Defense, China may have more than 1000 nuclear warheads by 2030. The DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile, which experts say could hit any corner of the globe, was unveiled during the National Day military parade in 2019.
China has also increased its defense exports over the years by manufacturing and exporting drones to Saudi Arabia and UAE. Pakistan, Bangladesh and Algeria have been biggest importers of weapons from China.
With such military and economic might, China poses a threat to India’s security.
