Chinese forces ambushed Indian troops

Manish Swarup/Associated Press 2018/NY Times 06-2020

China's brutal attack on Indian forces at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on June 15, was, an ambush. The previous week, according to reports, had both Indian and Chinese officials agreeing to a de-escalation along the border, so much so, that both sides agreed not to carry arms along the line.  That the LAC is murky gives opportunity to troops on both sides to push deeper into their opponents territory risking reprisals. The Chinese central government has stepped up its goals to consolidate territory that it either feels belongs to the mainland or acquiring every inch that it deems necessary to reach its goal of, ultimately, usurping the United States as a global power. As the confrontation broke out at the LAC over a four hour period during bitterly cold conditions in the Ladakh region of the Himalayas, Chinese troops brandished aluminum batons wrapped with barbed wire and spikes. If we consider the criterion of Jus In Bello, the conduct that nations engage in during conflict, the Chinese troops clearly violated this maxim. Now, the UN Charter recognises the right of individuals in self-defence to respond to aggression by another State. Therein lies the crux; the Indian troops were unarmed. the Chinese troops were equipped for medieval times. Therefore, it seems to me, that with Chinese troops massing along the LAC for some time, India's and China's history dating to the 1967 war that India was over-whelmed during, and China's rise during the COVID - 19 pandemic, that Chinese commanders had a vision, an ambush of Indian troops to sway the confrontation on the LAC. John Haltiwanger of Business Insider: "The fight took place on a narrow ridge, in the dark, roughly 14,000 feet above sea level, the Financial Times reported, and some of the Indian troops plunged into a ravine below during the clash."

"The Chinese troops hunted the Indian soldiers down, a senior Indian government official told the India-based CNN affiliate News18."

"Even unarmed men who fled into the hillsides were hunted down and killed," one Indian officer told News18. "The dead include men who jumped into the Galwan river in a desperate effort to escape."

Recently, India has been fortifying its position along the LAC  by building roads and other infrastructure. In  addition to India hosting The Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile cannot wash over China's distrust of the Dalai Lama and His desire for a traditional successor apart from China's goal of their own appointee. As mentioned, China's aggression during the 2020 Spring period may reflect the poor performance of the Chinese economy, already waning and now having contracted 6.8% during Q1, the pressure is mounting on President Xi Jinping on the mainland over the economy and COVID - 19 related complaints. As reported by The Diplomat's - Ankit Panda. Xi, buoyed by unlimited term limits altered for him to govern in perpetuity, has a blemish on his dossier of a Chinese economy that has not contracted since 1992.



For India, and Prime Minster Modi, the conflict and deaths (20 reported) demonstrated an Indian military that appears in flux and in need of more resources; human, strategic, and arms.

 India's defense budget was reported for 2020 at 73.65 billion. Of the total budget, $18.52 billion is for weapons purchases; $32.7 billion is for maintenance of the military’s weapons inventory, pay and allowances, infrastructure, and recurring expenses; and $21.91 billion is for defense pensions.

“The capital budget leaves no room for any big-ticket weapons purchase, as over 90 percent of the allocation capital funds will [be spent] for past [defense] contracts’ committed liabilities," a senior Ministry of Defence official told Defense News. Reported by Vivek Raghuvanshi on February 4, 2020 for Asia Pacific. https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2020/02/04/new-weapons-purchases-suffer-under-indias-latest-defense-budget/

China's 2020 defense budget was announced at 178.2 billion in May. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces public criticism for his slow public response. He can appeal to the U.N. for sanctions against Chinese officials, impose tariffs on Chinese imports, strike Chinese positions close to the LAC  or seek a diplomatic solution with Chinese officials. Some say he will call Washington and seek out American support for a balanced solution. As with most leaders facing a COVID - 19 world, he is under pressure to respond to public grievances. He has to act soon as he appears to be foundering. China, with a muscular military budget  and a comparable population, is positioned for success while their neighbours struggle with their economies. Sanctions against Chinese officials in violation of Jus In Bello, offers a positive first step. More Indian troops have been moved into the LAC with the Air Force and Navy on high  alert. Indian officials are saying this act was premeditated and that is the nexus of this report.

BBC - weapons used in China-India skirmish