Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited Ladakh region and interacted with the soldiers. The PM’s visit was seen as a morale-booster for the army and a powerful statement against Chinese aggression at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since early May, which escalated to a deadly brawl on 15 June in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed and over 70 injured. Army sources said 45 Chinese soldiers were killed or injured. Once again, without naming China, he said the age of expansionism is over and this is the age of development. His visit, though delayed, is a welcomed one.
But his decision to once again speak about the Ladakh incident without naming China is starting to baffle the people of India. Even while addressing the all-party meeting last month, he did not take the name of China while speaking about the Galwan incident. The move is creating a lot of confusion. By now it is a known fact that the Chinese have intruded into Indian territory in eastern Ladakh and are holding onto the position despite several rounds of talks for deescalation. Add this to the 15 June incident of brutal killing of Indian soldiers by members of the PLA in Galwan. India is so far downplaying the intrusion. But the government has announced several measures, including banning 59 Chinese apps, after the Galwan incident. These are appreciated, but India has to acknowledge that the Chinese have illegally captured Indian land, and start an international lobby to put pressure on China to relinquish the land. The potential of the two nuclear-armed nations going to war will be catastrophic for the whole world. The international community should be told that if China refuses to vacate the captured land, India might go for war. This will force the world to pressurize China to vacate the illegally captured land.