Chinese troops enter india

[Pickman's model]

Chinese troops challenge India at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh, standoff continues

The Chinese troops crossed 3 km into what India perceives to be its territory South East of the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh.

theprint.in

This will end well

 

[Sprocket.]

Chinese troops challenge India at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh, standoff continues

The Chinese troops crossed 3 km into what India perceives to be its territory South East of the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh.

theprint.in

This will end well

This area has been a flash point for years. The Chinese are currently investing billions into Pakistan’s transport and logistics infrastructure.
They probably think let’s rattle sabres at India just for the hell of it.
The two sides, India and China soldiers were throwing rocks and exchanging fisticuffs a few weeks ago.

 

[A380]

 

[Sprocket.]

Just heard on the radio three Indian soldiers have been shot and killed by Chinese troops in the region.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Just heard on the radio three Indian soldiers have been shot and killed by Chinese troops in the region.

Its been picked-up by the Telegraph.

Three Indian soldiers have been shot dead in clashes on the Chinese border after weeks of rising tensions, according to Indian officials.

"A violent face-off took place yesterday (Monday) night with casualties. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers," an Indian army spokesman said in a statement.

China accused Indian troops of crossing the disputed border, "provoking and attacking Chinese personnel, resulting in serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides".

The clashes took place at the Line of Actual Control, the loose border which separates the two countries. It comes after The Telegraph revealed last week that China had 'annexed' 60 square km of territory in eastern Ladakh.

At least 20 Indian soldiers killed in hand-to-hand fighting on Chinese border

India confirms 20 have died in vicious clashes in disputed territory - and blames China for starting the fighting

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[Sprocket.]

Of course it could be diversionary tactics to take the focus off Hong Kong too.

 

[kebabking]

One of the Indian Officers who was killed was a Lt Col - the CO of the infantry Battalion holding this area of the line.

While one life isn't more important than the next, the loss of someone of that rank/position makes it more difficult politically for India to 'shrug off' than the loss of a Private soldier.

 

[agricola]

One of the Indian Officers who was killed was a Lt Col - the CO of the infantry Battalion holding this area of the line.

While one life isn't more important than the next, the loss of someone of that rank/position makes it more difficult politically for India to 'shrug off' than the loss of a Private soldier.

Modi will still have a good go at shrugging it off though

 

[YouSir]

Some reports saying Chinese losses were higher, although not sure where they're getting that from. China also trying to get closer to Nepal, who have their own border disputes with India. No surprise there really, China's all about trying to push soft power now, but from my limited knowledge India has long expected Nepal to be a subservient neighbour. Know it pisses off Nepalis at least. Plus there is plenty of Chinese tourism/trade going on there.

 

[Dogsauce]

Of course it could be diversionary tactics to take the focus off Hong Kong too.

Probably useful for Modi too tbh. Think he’s had some stick lately for poor handling Covid-19.

 

[hash tag]

Don't the Chinese have issues over Everest, not to mention his holiness The Dalai Llama and other Tibetans in exile down in Dharashala. Also, the DL is all over the news at the moment because he is about to release Inner World to coincide with his 85th birthday in a few days.China can't be very happy about this.

 

[Sprocket.]

China was also rattling the Dao recently about the Straits of Taiwan with the US and Taiwanese.

 

[Rimbaud]

20 Indian Soldiers Killed; Over 40 Chinese Casualties, Say Sources

Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in a "violent face-off" with Chinese troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh, the army said on Tuesday, in the most serious escalation between the two countries along the border in five decades. News agency ANI claimed that sources had confirmed 43 Chinese soldiers...

www.ndtv.com

India claiming 20 killed.

China probably won't release numbers, but India claims intercepted sources indicate 43 casualties. Not clear if dead or wounded, but bear in mind this was a massive hand to hand combat brawl high up in the Himalayas with low oxygen - 17 of India's 20 dead died of their wounds after the fact, partly because of the hostile climate, so over 30 dead on the Chinese side seems likely.

This is massive tbh, by the sounds of it India called China's bluff which they weren't expecting.

There has to, surely, be some discontent rumbling about Xi Jinping's aggressive foreign policy style. He's made enemies on too many fronts and the room for manoeuvre is shrinking rapidly.

 

[hash tag]

It's poor Kashmir again, isn't it. Such a beautiful place such tragedy.

 

[bimble]

Seriously bad news. On recent trip to India the level of casual anti Chinese sentiment that people volunteered in conversations unrelated to anything at all was noticeable, not just economic resentment a whole load of stuff. The media there is completely under the sway of modi and had an extremely belligerent nationalist tone the whole time, mostly the enemies being internal for the time being though.
Indian twitter looks like the media is blaming the army, modi has remained silent on the issue and people think attacking Pakistan looms more likely as a way out of the humiliation.

 

[petee]

just trying to learn the details for myself, this presents pertinent info

Aksai Chin - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[not-bono-ever]

600 troops and hand to hand combat- what the fuck is going on

 

[Artaxerxes]

Seriously bad news. On recent trip to India the level of casual anti Chinese sentiment that people volunteered in conversations unrelated to anything at all was noticeable, not just economic resentment a whole load of stuff. The media there is completely under the sway of modi and had an extremely belligerent nationalist tone the whole time, mostly the enemies being internal for the time being though.
Indian twitter looks like the media is blaming the army, modi has remained silent on the issue and people think attacking Pakistan looms more likely as a way out of the humiliation.

Am I right in thinking both countries are very reluctant to ever back down or lose face? Mostly due to the nature of whose in charge

 

[Artaxerxes]

Twitter thread on it

 

[DJWrongspeed]

I was thinking about the Black lives matter campaign and racism and then came across a quote from novelist Jan Morris

If race is a fraud then nationality is a cruel pretence

This got me thinking about border conflicts. There are many across the globe. Surely we must seek better outcomes and be honest about national identity?

 

[YouSir]

Twitter thread on it

Stone throwing and brawls have been going on for a while from what I've read, sounds like it spiralled out of control this time. Assuming that thread is half accurate. How that relates to de-escalation who knows.

 

[Rimbaud]

Interestingly Chinese media seems to be burying this news, indicating that they don't want to inflame nationalist sentiment and want to de-escalate. It also suggests that this was a humiliation for them.

I think this is ultimately caused by Xi Jinping's instruction to show "fighting spirit" in foreign policy, as seen in the recent "Wolf Warrior" diplomacy, coming up against an increasingly confident and assertive India. They've been doing this "salami slicing" tactic for years, by changing the facts on the ground by crossing into unguarded areas of India's territory and building infrastructure and command posts, altering the line of actual control in such a way that India can't respond without resorting to lethal force which they aren't willing to do (this is why you have the strange phenomenon of arm-linked human chains and hand to hand combat). This is the same thing they did in the South China Sea, by building miltarised artificial islands, and is the same thing they are doing by repeatedly flying fighter planes over Taiwan, knowing Taiwan won't risk shooting them down.

It looks like they pushed a bit too far here and India called their bluff.

 

[two sheds]

The Welsh ought to adopt those tactics, reclaim a bit of the land they lost all those years ago.

 

[bimble]

Are these soldiers stationed along the border there not actually armed? Or did they choose to nobly bash each other with fists & sticks instead of shooting?

 

[Teaboy]

Are these soldiers stationed along the border there not actually armed? Or did they choose to nobly bash each other with fists & sticks instead of shooting?

That's what I find amazing. All these soldiers scrapping to the death and no one pulled a gun?

 

[Rimbaud]

Are these soldiers stationed along the border there not actually armed? Or did they choose to nobly bash each other with fists & sticks instead of shooting?

There's an agreement between both sides to not bring any firearms within 3km of the Line of Actual Control, in order to prevent things from escalating.

And despite this, maybe over 60 people died from hand to hand combat in a single conflagration, so kind of shows you tense it must be up there.

 

[Pickman's model]

There's an agreement between both sides to not bring any firearms within 3km of the Line of Actual Control, in order to prevent things from escalating.

And despite this, maybe over 60 people died from hand to hand combat in a single conflagration, so kind of shows you tense it must be up there.

Well they have to do something to keep warm

 

[Spymaster]

Are these soldiers stationed along the border there not actually armed? Or did they choose to nobly bash each other with fists & sticks instead of shooting?

They are armed but there’s an agreement not to fire shots or cause explosions (meaning artillery rounds or grenades) within 2km of the control line, which has held for 40 odd years. Instead they knock the shit out of each other medieval style.

 

[JimW]

Interestingly Chinese media seems to be burying this news, indicating that they don't want to inflame nationalist sentiment and want to de-escalate. It also suggests that this was a humiliation for them.

They're definitely playing it down but not sure how you get to it being a humiliation rather than just more than they particularly want to chew on right now. Although they've not released casualties neither has the Indian side claimed to have come off best (unless it's something off Twitter I've not seen) and they'll have no trouble selling the outcome as it stands domestically.

 

[bimble]

One of the sites of this .. is it a battle (?) is a lake called Pangong Tso and I’ve never seen such a beautiful result from a google image search. Absolutely desolate though far too high for anything to grow there from the looks of it and freezes over entirely every winter. No fish even.