Snip A Forked Tongue

The equal cost imposed on China for its escalation at Galwan should caution it against a further violation of the June 6 agreement. With matching military strength in the area, both sides must ensure peace.

- Lt Gen. Subrata Saha

On June 6, 2020, after nearly a month of aggressive and violent face-offs at various points in eastern Ladakh, India, and China had agreed-upon measures to de-escalate the situation and resolve issues. Less than ten days later, on June 15, the most barbaric and violent clash happened in Galwan, bringing the situation back to the brink once again—perhaps more precariously than at any time in the past 45 years.

The landscape in Galwan is tough high-altitude mountainous terrain, and control over the heights overlooking the mountain passes and river valleys determines who dominates the area. This area is strategically important due to the vicinity of the 255 km road running along the Shyok river valley, from Darbuk to the area of Daulat Beg Oldi. The road is well inside Indian territory, but the heights overlooking the Galwan valley give it depth, and also overlook avenues of ingress and egress, to and from into each other’s territory.

India’s ability to build up in the Daulat Beg Oldi area, using this road, is perceived as a threat to the Chinese Aksai Chin area, and the highway linking Tibet to Xinjiang province. To the North, the Daulat Beg Oldi area leads to the Karakoram Pass, and Shaksgam Valley, illegally ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963.

The road from Darbuk to Daulat Beg Oldi has existed for some years now, but it has had problems, with stretches of the road and bridges getting washed away. India’s success in completing a crucial bridge last year, after efforts of almost two decades, seems to have pushed China to the edge.