INDIA’S prime minister Narendra Modi has been berated in his own country for allegedly surrendering disputed territory in the Himalayas to Chinese forces as Beijing expands its military presence in the disputed region.
The Indian prime minister has been facing repeated criticism since brutal hand to hand conflict broke out between troops on the Himalayan border region last month. Mr Modi has been accused of a retreat that has allowed China to capitalise on the situation. However, the Indian leader has said he is trying to de-escalate the situation.
He has reframed the events and declared it a success story for his foreign policy.
Last week Mr Modi made a visit to the line of actual control where he triumphantly celebrated his version of events in front of the troops.
He said: “History is witness that expansionist forces have either lost or were forced to turn back.”
He has accused China of expansionism and stated that India had stopped this through its defensive positions in the Himalayas.
But a recent report by the New York Times suggests China has indeed capitalised on its gains in the region and vigorously fortified its position in disregard of bi-lateral agreements between the two nations.
The Chinese have allegedly set up more tents, facilities, artillery pieces, and tanks.
Contradicting Mr Modi’s claims of victory the Chinese have actually set up a position within the Indian side of the demarcation line, and look like they are digging in for the foreseeable future.
Mr Modi made no mention of this when he visited the Indian troops.
The line of actual control has been in place since the 1962 Sino-Indian War.
The Indian side lost territory to China in this war.
Right wind elements within India have praised Mr Modi’s diplomacy throughout.
They have made no mention that China has made gains at India’s loss.
The mouthpiece of the right-wing paramilitary Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh group described Mr Modi as “leading from the front”.
They then accused Chinese President Xi Jinping of being “ambitious” but “insecure.”
However, Rahul Gandhi, the former leader of the opposition Indian Congress Party has been critical of Mr Modi’s efforts.
On Sunday he asked Mr Modi on Twitter how China “took away the sacred land of Mother India.”
Business Standard journalist Colonel Ajai Shukla who agrees with Mr Gandhi said “the government is misleading the media”.
He added that the Chinese incursions represented “the largest loss of territory to China since the 1962 war”.
SOURCE: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1309024/ww3-india-china-conflict-himalayas-border-conflict-modi-xi-jinping?fbclid=IwAR0n7ILHxnnCzBs-I19qkgaG6QXQIwi393rQ56E7tzxmqJYyw6RZTMET9Xo
