Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Epaper

A Tri-Nations’ ‘War of Maps’ heats up the region

Published : Sunday, 31 May, 2020 at 12:00 AM  Count : 767
Shahriar Feroze
Disputes over shared borders and territories along the Himalayan region have always been a bone of contention between India, Nepal and China. And while the world is just about to re-emerge from a global health ravage inflicted by the novel Coronavirus - border enmities among have taken a dramatic shift this month. Delhi, Beijing and Kathmandu have engaged in a bitter diplomatic battle to settle their scores along their borderlines.

However, irrespective of the Himalayan region's tempting landscape, pure air and ostensible tranquillity - peace among its shareholders has long been a delusion. Border skirmishes and face-offs between the Chinese and Indians have often pushed the mountainous region in peril. But was it all so necessary to flare up old disputes at a susceptible time as now?  
 Since the pandemic had compelled many countries to impose lockdown while putting a temporary halt to all forms of geopolitical tensions, all eyes were fixed on the deadly virus. Now a 'new normal' is about to begin by coexisting with the Coronavirus but unsettled issues must be settled right away.
 On 5 May, Indian and Chinese border forces clashed in the scenic Pangong Tso, a lake 14,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayan region of Ladakh. Troops from both sides reportedly engaged in fistfights and attacked each other with sticks and stones, leaving scores on both sides injured.

Comical as it may sound, I became curious to know whether they had the protective gears on or not. Without masks, hand sanitizers and personal protective tools, there is a higher possibility for one side to deliberately infect the troops of the other side with the deadly virus. On that note, China appears much stronger to infect the Indians with COVID- 19.  And especially hand - to - hand fighting now requires PPE items. Sticks and stones can be made infected as well.

Things got muddled when Nepal foreign minister last Wednesday said that India should withdraw security forces from the Kalapani region and restore status quo. Moreover, the country of Mount Everest has a new map up her sleeve. The new political map positioned Indian territories of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulekh in Nepal.

This is quite a remarkable development in the midst of the current Indo - Chinese border standoff. Especially, the timing throws a challenge ball to Indian courts to handle two rivals at the same time. Barely a week earlier Beijing insisted Delhi and Kathmandu to resolve Kalapani dispute bilaterally and the latter responded with unpredictable speed. The question now where is the 'War of Maps' now heading to?

Different analysts and experts have drawn a grim picture hinting at a conflict of varying degrees, if not a full-fledged war between the two regional powers. But intermittent face-offs and scuffles at the Himalayan border lines has added Nepal as a new force with Beijing's tacit support. Understandably, the left leaning Nepalese government will now seek Beijing's support to resolve the unsettled Kalapani dispute with India.    
    
Including its arch rival Pakistan, the problem with India is that its policy makers have been somewhat whimsical and too slow to respond to geographical disputes with neighbouring countries.  The country faces territorial issues with almost all of its neighbours, though it managed to settle land disputes with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in recent times. But the issues could have been settled 20 - 30 years earlier. The un-demarcated border with Bhutan included multiple irregularities. It even has a major border dispute with faraway Taiwan.

India's wide and complex map could be one of the technical reasons for the delaying decades to settle down disputes, but the country's successive political leaderships have been markedly inconsistent to come up with a win - win approach. With or without knowledge, Delhi has repeatedly pushed back its neighbours to find an ally in its most significant economic and military rival. China on the other hand has been noticeably patient and tactful in handling its long list of disputed territories with its neighbouring countries, though at times with an iron fist wherever needed.

But the recent development in the Indo - China border suggests two things. First, war of rhetoric will continue with limited but carefully planned engagements. Secondly, similar to the "String of Pearls" strategy, it has been observantly weaving a 'string of overland allies' on all sides of India to take the 'War of Maps' to the next stage.

The new normal on border disputes, emerging out of the Corona curse will mark many unprecedented twists and turns. Perhaps the nature and scale of border conflict surrounding the tri nations will witness newer military techniques for holding respective positions.  In the end it is worrying to note how quickly the subcontinent is heating up during the reopening phase. A protracted border dispute may well trigger an added disruption to normalise regional peace.

The writer is Assistant Editor, News & Editorial The Daily Observer





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