Why is China after a miraculous ‘bowl’ of India? Understand the betrayal of the dragon on Depsang and Demchok in Ladakh.

New Delhi: Australian political scientist and author Christopher Snedden has written in his/her book ‘Understanding Kashmir and Kashmiris’ that in 1834, a battle was fought to capture Ladakh under the leadership of Gulab Singh, a Dogra warrior of Kashmir. It is said that Dogra General Zorawar Singh bravely captured Ladakh and made it a part of the Sikh Empire.
This was considered a big victory of that era. In fact, with the capture of Ladakh, Maharaja Gulab Singh got control over the trade of wool from local goats to Central Asia. However, in 1842 this area was snatched away from Gulab Singh by Tibetan-Chinese troops. But, they regained control over it in 1842. When Gulab Singh became the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir in 1846, he/she made Ladakh an important part of his/her kingdom. The story of the Ladakh dispute begins from here. We know that there are two patrolling points named Depsang and Demchok in this area, which are very strategically sensitive for India.

Situation changed after Galvan Valley conflict in Eastern Ladakh on LAC

According to Defense and Strategic Affairs Analyst Lt. Col. (Retd.) JS Sodhi, more than 70 percent of the population of Eastern Ladakh, located on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the border with China, is nomads. Their survival depends on yaks and sheep. Dozens of small villages have been settled here for centuries amidst the mountains at a height of 15 thousand to 17 thousand feet. Life here is very difficult. The situation here completely changed after the bloody clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Galwan Valley in June 2020.

India gets control over Indus river from Demchok

According to defense expert JS Sodhi, if you go south in Ladakh, you find places like Galwan Valley. The river here is narrow, hence this valley is also narrow. Going further south is the Indus Valley and since the Indus is a relatively wide river, this valley is also wide. Demchok falls further south from here. This is the area where India gets strategic control over the Indus River.

India and China agree on the name of finger area

When viewed from the ridgeline on the northern shore of the lake in Ladakh, where the Indian Army patrols, these bulges look like fingers of a hand. These bulges look like eight fingers. This is why they are named 1 to 8 Fingers. Our troops have a road up to Finger 4 and the Chinese Army has a road up to Finger 8. The area between Finger 4 to 8 is full of jeeps. However, due to the dispute, the armies of both the countries do not come to this area. Both countries call this finger area.

Eastern Ladakh from Depsang to Demchok looks like a bowl

Take. Colonel JS Sodhi says that while standing on the Indian border and looking towards China, Eastern Ladakh looks like a bowl. On one side of which is the highest peak of Karakoram Pass. After this comes DBO and then Galwan area. Further downstream is Pangong Lake. From here down to Demchok, things are almost flat, but after Demchok the altitude starts increasing again. In such a situation, it looks like a bowl, on which China has an evil eye.

Thousands of soldiers of both the countries stood facing each other

It is estimated that at present more than 60-60 thousand soldiers of both the countries are stationed near the LAC. Thousands of armed soldiers of both the countries are deployed facing each other in border areas like Dorbak, Galwan, Pangong Tso, Depsang, Hot Spring, Gogra, Choshul, Chomur and Demchok. From Leh to Pangong Choshul, Chomur, Demchok, Depsang and Hot Spring, there are Indian Army bases and cantonments everywhere.

China was embarrassed by showing Aksai Chin in its territory

Praveen Sahni, author of the recently published book ‘The Last War’ on the India-China conflict, said that China became more angry when India made a new map, in which Ladakh was shown as a Union Territory and some parts of Aksai Chin were shown as a Union Territory. Showed part of Ladakh. This was not acceptable to China, since 1959 it has been claiming Aksai Chin as its own.

A war in the 17th century led to the division between Ladakh and Tibet.

Long before the Dogra occupation, during the reign of Aurangzeb in the late 17th century, there was a war between the Tibetan-Chinese and the Mughals, in which a stream in Ladakh, which in historical documents is known as Lahari Dhara (in modern times Charding Nala or Demchok River), was determined as the boundary between Tibet-Ladakh.

In 1946, a British traveler had determined the extent of Demchok.

Zorawar Singh is said to have built a fort on a hill next to the Tibetan part of Demchok. The Dogras came under the suzerainty of the British Raj in 1846 as the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Henry Strachey visited the Demchok area in 1847 as part of the British Boundary Commission. he/she described Demchok as a village divided by a wavy stream, with settlements on both sides. This stream was the prevailing boundary between Ladakh and Tibet. According to the Government of India, the Ladakhi Demchok village is used by nomadic farmers for seasonal farming.

Daulat Beg Oldi near Depsang, which is very sensitive

Defense expert JS Sodhi says that Depsang, the northern area of ​​Ladakh, looks like a flat area. Its altitude is about 16,000 to 17,000 feet. At the same time, India’s most difficult Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) is present in Daulat Beg Oldi i.e. DBO located nearby. At an altitude of 16,300 feet, there is an Indian Air Force airstrip at DBO, which is the highest airstrip in the world. This is a very strategically sensitive area. Sodhi has also mentioned about the nefarious designs of China in his/her book.

Economic corridor is part of China’s preparation to encircle India

Defense expert JS Sodhi says that Dragon is adopting a dual strategy through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Firstly, it is strengthening itself economically and secondly, it is preparing to tighten the noose on countries like India. In a way, he/she is preparing himself for the future war. Shaksgam Valley is the route through which China wants to reach Pakistan’s Gwadar port and reach Central Asia through Afghanistan. With this it can also surround its rival country India.