HUMAN AND LOGISTICS COSTS OF LAC DEPLOYMENTS

ized in high altitude warfare. The issues related to the border have taken centrestage in the diplomatic relations between two countries with Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar repeatedly emphasizing that problems at the LAC are results of China’s actions during the summer of 2020. Beijing have been refuting these statements. In multilateral fora like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the G-20, Indian and Chinese delegates have met only to disagree on the issue. Conversely, the 26th Meeting of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on IndiaChina Border Affairs was held on 22nd February 2023 in Beijing in person, a first since the 14th Meeting in 2019. Similarly, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, attended the G 20 Foreign Minister’s meet in New Delhi on March 1-2, 2023. These perhaps are the only signs of gradual thaw in the cold relations.

IN-DEPTH

A BIG REBUFF TO KEJRIWAL’S ATTEMPT TO FORM THIRD FRONT

On the ground, however, at the LAC and at the IndiaChina border in general, a huge number of military forces stand in readiness, suspicious of each other’s movements and intentions. It remains to be seen, for what duration, two of the largest economies in the world can sustain such high altitude manoeuvres. Perhaps, the Siachen Glacier may serve as an example on the human and logistics costs of massive deployments at one of the highest battlegrounds in the world. Even for the economic strength of the Chinese, global power status will come with enormous expense

Even as the Russia-Ukraine conflict garners majority of global attention, the standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh does not show any signs of abatement or resolution. Seventeen rounds of Senior Commanders Meetings have taken place between the Indian and Chinese forces at the border. At several patrolling points and contested areas the armies have disengaged, but at two points of contention namely Demchok and the Depsang Plains heavy deployment remains. Over the last three years developments, at the border and at the policy level from both sides have led to further deterioration of relations between New Delhi and Beijing. Recurring incidents at the border, most recent being the 9th December 2022 skirmish between soldiers of the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army in Arunachal Pradesh have led both sides to issue statements in support of their respective stance and territorial claims. Such incidents combined with the emphasis on building infrastructure at the border has created a race to achieve better mobility of troops and equipment at the border. India and China