The latest skirmish along the 3,440-kilometer (2,100-mile) disputed border between India and China highlights the dangerously tense state of relations between the world’s two most powerful nuclear-armed countries. The incident occurred Saturday near the Himalayan border separating the Indian states of Sikkim and Kashmir. India claimed that “Pakistan army troops fired at Indian positions in the area all across the Line of Control” and that Indian troops retaliated. No casualties were reported.
The clashes have been occurring sporadically for years and haven’t caused any serious damage or significant injuries, but the exchange of fire is an escalation of tensions. The underlying issue is the ill-defined boundary, which can shift due to rivers, lakes and snowcaps along the long frontier. As a result, troops often find themselves face to face at border crossings, creating the potential for a confrontation.
In the past, China and India have negotiated agreements to pull back from flashpoints. But the deteriorating relationship has left both sides concerned about a possible full-blown war. Both are growing increasingly insular and nationalistic, fuelled by economic and geopolitical rivalry, and they don’t trust one another.
This is exacerbated by the fact that China doesn’t take into account the level of importance India places on the border and its sensitivity to these clashes. The sporadic incidents serve to deepen distrust between the neighbors, which is a significant barrier to their cooperation in the region and elsewhere. It would help if both nations were willing to seek mediation from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or a third party in these conflicts.
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