INDIA’S NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY IS FAILING
From early this month, China suddenly escalated tension with India in Ladakh and Sikkim for reasons which are still unclear. Nepal has also chosen this time to claim some areas which are in India, apparently at the behest of Beijing. In fact, the chief of the Indian army, General M. M. Naravane went so far as to say that Nepal’s protest against India’s construction of a new link road to Lipu Lekh Pass had been made at “someone’s behest”, just stopping short of naming China.
To put events sequentially, on May 5 and 6, some 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers came to a hand-to-hand fight using iron rods, wooden batons and stones near a mountain spur called “Finger 5” on the northern bank of the Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh. The fierce fighting left many injured on both sides. Indian fighter aircraft started flying over Ladakh, keeping a watch over the ground situation. It was a clear message to the Chinese that India cannot be intimidated. After the scuffle, both sides sent in more troops to the area. Five days after the Ladakh incident, on May 9, there was another fight between Indian and Chinese soldiers in northern Sikkim in which fisticuffs were freely exchanged, leaving seven Chinese and four Indian soldiers injured. The Sino-Indian border in Sikkim also became alive.
Close on the heels of the two incidents came Nepal’s claim on the piece of Indian territory on which India is building a new link road Lipu Lekh pass in Pithorgarh district of Uttarakhand to facilitate the journey of pilgrims to Kailas and Manasarovar. Lipu Lekh lies at an altitude of 17,060 feet and connects Uttarakhand to the Tibet autonomous region of China. South of Lipu Lekh is the area known as Kalapani which is controlled by India. Nepal has now claimed this territory, a little over 300 square kilometers in area, as its own.
Locationally, Nepal has no reason to claim it because the Lipu Lekh pass connects the Byans valley of Uttarakhand with Tibet. Obviously, Nepal is claiming this territory at China’s instigation. This is what Gen. Naravane hinted at when he said that it seemed Nepal had staked its claim on this territory at “somebody’s behest.” Now Nepal, taking the cue from China, has announced that it is going to issue a new map showing both the Lipu Lekh Pass and the Kalapani area within Nepal. Kathmandu claims the dispute (over the Kalapani territory) has been hanging fire for two decades.
From early this month, China suddenly escalated tension with India in Ladakh and Sikkim for reasons which are still unclear. Nepal has also chosen this time to claim some areas which are in India, apparently at the behest of Beijing. In fact, the chief of the Indian army, General M. M. Naravane went so far as to say that Nepal’s protest against India’s construction of a new link road to Lipu Lekh Pass had been made at “someone’s behest”, just stopping short of naming China.
To put events sequentially, on May 5 and 6, some 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers came to a hand-to-hand fight using iron rods, wooden batons and stones near a mountain spur called “Finger 5” on the northern bank of the Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh. The fierce fighting left many injured on both sides. Indian fighter aircraft started flying over Ladakh, keeping a watch over the ground situation. It was a clear message to the Chinese that India cannot be intimidated. After the scuffle, both sides sent in more troops to the area. Five days after the Ladakh incident, on May 9, there was another fight between Indian and Chinese soldiers in northern Sikkim in which fisticuffs were freely exchanged, leaving seven Chinese and four Indian soldiers injured. The Sino-Indian border in Sikkim also became alive.
Close on the heels of the two incidents came Nepal’s claim on the piece of Indian territory on which India is building a new link road Lipu Lekh pass in Pithorgarh district of Uttarakhand to facilitate the journey of pilgrims to Kailas and Manasarovar. Lipu Lekh lies at an altitude of 17,060 feet and connects Uttarakhand to the Tibet autonomous region of China. South of Lipu Lekh is the area known as Kalapani which is controlled by India. Nepal has now claimed this territory, a little over 300 square kilometers in area, as its own.
Locationally, Nepal has no reason to claim it because the Lipu Lekh pass connects the Byans valley of Uttarakhand with Tibet. Obviously, Nepal is claiming this territory at China’s instigation. This is what Gen. Naravane hinted at when he said that it seemed Nepal had staked its claim on this territory at “somebody’s behest.” Now Nepal, taking the cue from China, has announced that it is going to issue a new map showing both the Lipu Lekh Pass and the Kalapani area within Nepal. Kathmandu claims the dispute (over the Kalapani territory) has been hanging fire for two decades.
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