India under indomitable leadership of PM Narendra Modi has in September 2020 set an unprecedented example for future Indian Prime Ministers and more importantly for Indo Pacific nations, especially ASEAN countries, that China's military adventurism against its neighbours has not only to be stood upto but also pushed back.
Since April 2020 more noticeably China was engaged in altering the territorial and military status quo along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh to add more depth to military vulnerabilities to its Aksai Chin Highway built through illegally annexed China Occupied Aksai Chin of India's Ladakh Union Territory during Nehruvian era.
The above resulted in the first ever direct military clashes after four decades at Galwan in which Indian Army lost 20 of its Bravehearts including the intrepid Commanding Officer of 16 Bihar but not before killing nearly 50 Chinese PLA soldiers. China first denied so on its losses but TV visuals of Chines tombstones in that area were a giveaway.
In its wake China adopted a duplicitous strategy of diplomatic and military dialogues with India for de-escalation on the borders of China Occupied Tibet on one hand but in tandem resorting to surreptiously 'Salami Slicing' tactics, (reminiscent of its South China Sea military adventurism) to occupy dominating heights in area of Southern Pang gong Tso Lake---this again to change the status quo to their advantage.
Indian Army was alive and prepared to offset China's treachery and on night of August 29/30 pre-empted Chinese PLA military moves by military actions both in occupation of dominating heights and also pushing back Chinese PLA positions entrenched in the buffer zones along the Line of Actual Control.
Some reports also indicate that in the process of the above-said military operations the Indian Army has captured 25-30 Chinese PLA soldiers.
The Indian Government under PM Narendra Modi alongside launched a 'digital strike' against China by banning 118 more Chinese Apps flourishing in India including PUBG. With Indian viewers contributing the bulk of China's revenues from Chinese Apps this latest 'digital strike' was significant.
India thereby signalled to China that China's duplicitous military adventurism against India which seems to have acquired pace ad momentum under Chinese President Xi Jinping will be firmly met strongly by India adopting a Dual Strategy of Indian Army military face-offs and also economically by hurting China where it hurts most---economic losses accruing from revenue s from Indian markets.
Contextually, the ASEAN nations most affected by China's military expansionism violating their national sovereignties' and maritime possessions in South China Sea should borrow a leaf from India's current firm resolve to not only face China squarely but also with resolve push China to 'BACKOFF'.
Easier said than done but then ASEAN has to make a beginning by both military firmness and cutting off China's economic supply chains. As reflected in an earlier Paper on this Blog, the first step is Joint Naval Patrols by ASEAN Navies in South China Sea.
China-India military confrontation is there for a long haul and it seems that the Modi Government is prepared for it backed by strong domestic political support of the Indian people at large who seceverely DISTRUST CHINA ever since 1962 stab in the back.
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