As the rift between the US and China over the balloon saga widens, so has the divide within the global community scrutinising their high-stakes dispute. The US insists that they shot down the alleged Chinese spy balloon. China continues to deny that they sent a spy balloon, even as the US continues to disclose more details of the object to back up their allegation. The rising tension between the two has divided the global opinion. The world is grappling with the incident’s implications for national security and geopolitical stability.
The net result, say observers, is that it has hardened positions – deepening distrust among those wary of China or the US – and made it significantly harder for Washington and Beijing to close the gap between them. For some, the incident has heightened anxieties over the reach of Chinese espionage, as governments scramble to reassess what they know of China’s surveillance capabilities. For countries like India and for our state Arunachal, which shares a boundary with China, the deepening tension between two superpowers is a matter of worry. The Chinese have been acting aggressively along LAC for the last few years. With India continuing to maintain military and political ties with the US, the Chinese might increase tension along the LAC. They will try to whip up anti-India sentiments among their citizens and allies. Therefore India needs to closely watch out the events unfolding in Beijing and Washington.