China’s Provocative Actions
- Dam on Brahmaputra River
- Construction of a dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River(Brahmaputra River), with an aim to generate 300 billion kWh of electricity annually.
- Downstream impact
- Lesser water and silt flow, harming India and Bangladesh’s agriculture, fisheries, and biodiversity.
- India’s Plan on Brahmaputra River:
- Expedited plans for 12 hydropower stations in Arunachal Pradesh for a $1 billion investment.
- Govt Plans India’s Second-Largest Dam On Brahmaputra at Yingkiong In Arunachal Pradesh, To Counter China’s River Diversion Plans
- Budget Estimate
- Estimated to cost Rs 50,000 crore
Geographical Dispute
India and China have argued over the sovereignty of many areas along their border, including Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Aksai Chin
- Situated in the extreme northeast of Ladakh, Aksai Chin is a salt flat desert about the size of Switzerland
- China seized Aksai Chin during the 1962 war with India
- The region is sparsely populated, except for ancient trade routes crossing through it
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Situated in the extreme northeast of India, Arunachal Pradesh borders China in the north
- China claims nearly all of Arunachal Pradesh, calling it “South Tibet”
- The northern border of Arunachal Pradesh was drawn by the McMahon Line during the 1914 Simla Convention
- Line of Actual Control (LAC)
- A vague, 2,100-mile-long de facto border that lies along the Himalayas
- The LAC is a point of conflict between India and China
- The LAC may vary in different areas because of rivers, lakes, and snowcaps
- 1962 war
- India lost the 1962 war to China and lost territory in Aksai Chin
- Over 7,000 Indian soldiers were killed in the war
India’s Strategic Challenges
- Border Disputes
- Ladakh standoffs continue unabated and Arunachal Pradesh claims remain unrelenting.
- Strategic Vulnerabilities
- Weak surveillance and infrastructure in border areas enable China to exploit weaknesses.
- South Asia’s Fragmented Approach
- Bilateral engagement with China, power asymmetry, need for a unified South Asian strategy, and diplomatic engagement.
UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)
Prelims
Q.‘Hand-in-Hand 2007’ a joint anti-terrorism military training was held by the officers of the Indian Army and officers of the Army of which one of the following countries? (2008)
(a) China
(b) Japan
(c) Russia
(d) USA
Ans: (a)
Mains
Q. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is viewed as a cardinal subset of China’s larger ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative. Give a brief description of CPEC and enumerate the reasons why India has distanced itself from the same. (2018)
