Introduction
The Chinese government's latest trickery along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India is a sinister design aimed at exploiting ethnic minorities like Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Gorkhas. Through the establishment of 'resettlement villages' or 'border defense villages' (Xiaokang), China plans to strategically settle these communities along the nearly 3,500 km long LAC, stretching from the western to the eastern sector. This move is a calculated attempt to checkmate India's presence and create instability within the country, exacerbating existing tensions and potentially leading to devastating consequences.
Army vehicles moving towards the LAC amid border tension with China. Photo: PTI
The Resettlement of Tibetans
The Chinese policy of resettling Tibetans along the India-China border in Tibet, particularly along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh, is not a new phenomenon. China has been pursuing, even forcing, Tibetans to serve as a frontline against India. Authentic local sources from villages near friction points along the India-Tibet border, such as Koyul village in Ladakh Union Territory, have reported the establishment of these resettlement villages as early as 2018.
The Potential Uyghur Resettlement
Following the Galwan clashes on June 20, 2020, international media reports suggest that China is considering forcing the Uyghurs and other ethnic minority groups to settle along Xinjiang's border with Ladakh. This is part of a specific plan to counteract the Indian presence along the Xinjiang-Ladakh section of the LAC. The Chinese may claim this strategy as a counterbalance to the Indian public, media, intelligentsia, and defense veterans' calls to use the "Uyghur card" to put pressure on China.
The Gorkha Dilemma
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this sinister design is the apprehension that China may exploit the brave Gorkhas, who have been the mainstay of the Indian military for decades. China aims to take advantage of the Gorkhas' unhappiness and resentment after the Indian government announced the Agniveer scheme for a short stint in the Indian Army and Nepal's subsequent decision in 2022 to bar its citizens, especially Gorkhas, from joining the Indian defence establishment. China sees this as a golden opportunity to sow discord and turn the Gorkhas against India.
The Chinese Strategy
No Chinese plan is devised without a strategy. The pretext in this context is that both Tibetans and Gorkhas, being acclimatized to the inclement weather and high altitude, will be better suited for mountainous warfare against India than the mainland Han Chinese soldiers. The Chinese strategy is to provoke a war between Indian soldiers and the Tibetans or Gorkhas deployed along the border as the first line of defense.
China's Insidious Motives
China will leave no stone unturned to deliberately instigate India, as it has been doing for the last seven decades, for minor skirmishes that can escalate into full-fledged war. If a war occurs along the LAC, no Han Chinese soldier will be killed, but the poor and innocent Uyghurs, Tibetans, or Gorkhas on the front will bear the brunt. Chinese propaganda mechanisms will not fail to spread rumors about India's treachery against Tibetans and Gorkhas. If India shows any consideration for these communities during the war, it will lose badly, creating a win-win situation for China domestically but an irreparable loss for India.
The Loss of Goodwill and Internal Instability
India will lose the considerable goodwill it has been enjoying among the Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Gorkhas across the globe. Moreover, the grand Chinese design will be to use the Gorkhas to create instability along the border and inside India, much like it has done in Kashmir with the help of Pakistan. This could be replicated in West Bengal (especially Darjeeling), the Northeastern states, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim, where a substantial Gorkha population resides. With Nepal's strained relationship with India at present, China will not hesitate to create internal instability in India, as it has been doing for over seven decades through Pakistan in Kashmir.
The Chinese Philosophical Approach
By implementing this strategy, China is following the teachings of Chinese philosopher Tsu Nzu, as described in his masterpiece, "The Art of War": "killing your enemies without losing a single bullet." China will effectively neutralize India's ability to take action against Tibetans and Gorkhas along the border, while simultaneously severing the old-age ties between India and these communities.
Implications and Challenges for India
If China succeeds in its plans and strategy against India, the disturbances and internal instability that India endured in Kashmir for over seven decades (until August 2019) could reverberate with a new tone and tenor, jeopardizing India's security and stability. It is high time the Indian government ponders this critical state of affairs.
The Indian government and its defence establishment must find a counter-strategy to deal with the Chinese design. Military intelligence and thinkers must understand Chinese strategies and prepare the necessary defense against them. While the Indian government has strategized its Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) in 2023 to develop sensitive villages along the LAC, it must ensure that it does not lose its most important constituency against China – the Tibetans. Furthermore, the Gorkhas should not fall into Chinese hands, as this will not bode well for India.
Conclusion
China's sinister design to exploit Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Gorkhas along the Line of Actual Control is a grave threat to India's security and stability. This calculated move aims to create internal instability, sever long-standing cultural ties, and potentially ignite a conflict that could have devastating consequences. It is imperative that the Indian government and its defense establishment take proactive measures to counter this strategy, protect its relationships with these communities, and safeguard the nation's interests. The stakes are high, and the implications of inaction could be catastrophic.
Comentários