According to the BBC, China and India are attempting to out-build one another along their disputed Himalayan border; this has come against the backdrop of simmering tensions between the Asian superpowers. A recent catalyst for the heightened tension was India’s construction of the new DSDBO road to its air base, in an attempt to make the movement of troops easier during such conflicts. This increased friction with Chinese troops in the region, causing a clash in June which left 20 Indian soldiers dead. Since then, both countries have invested in building new roads, railways and bridges on their side of the border in attempts to solidify their claims of the Ladakh region. Simultaneously, they continue to deny one another’s accusations of encroaching.
This continuous conflict over land and borders between the two nuclear powers has arguably pushed India closer towards its ally, the US, resulting in greater tension between rivals US and China. Many have argued that the ‘cold war’ between India and China has been encouraged by the Washington administration as it complicates China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a project which threatens the USA’s current status as the leading global superpower.
Sufia
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