The Galwan Clash: India’s China Strategy and China’s Great Game

India-China stand-off since early May led to serious physical clash between the Indian Army and the PLA in the Galwan Valley on the night of June15th/16th. The clash left 20 Indian soldiers killed and an equal if not more number of PLA troops killed/injured.

China’s border incursions along the nearly 4000 km India-China border has increased in frequency and intensity since 2011. Most major incursions have happened during National leaders’ visits. This is a typical Chinese strategy that seeks to combine dialogue and cooperation with a coercive display of power. Clearly India’s China strategy seems to be falling way short in effectively deterring China’s aggression. Many see India’s foreign policy towards China as one of appeasement.

It is time India recalibrate its China strategy and does not shy away from openly allying and strengthening partnerships such as the Quad and like-minded democracies. India needs to also focus on enhancing its conventional deterrence more comprehensively. While India and rest of the world are engaged in battling the severe global pandemic, China has embarked on an aggressive strategy across multiple fronts – Indian border, Taiwan, South China Sea, and a trade war that now become a geopolitical contest with US for dominance and influence. Is there more to China’s great game?