The violent skirmish between the Indian Army and the Chinese troops at Galwan Valley on the disputed stretch of the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh has turned out to be one of the biggest flash points in bilateral relations. Though China has refrained from putting out casualty figures, reports suggest at least 43 PLA soldiers were killed in the skirmish which also claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers including a Colonel who was commanding the unit.
India’s Ministry of External affairs has accused China of breaking an agreement arrived at last week to respect the previous LAC in the Galwan Valley. The skirmish happened as the Chinese side tried to unilaterally change the status quo there. China on its part however pinned the blame on India for provoking and attacking Chinese personnel leading to serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides.
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Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where the violent face-off broke out.
We piece together a timeline of Sino-India relations to put the story in perspective:
2020
June 15-16 (intervening night): Violent clash between Indian Army and People’s Liberation Army at Galwan Valley leading to death of 43 Chinese soldiers and 20 Indian soldiers
June 15: India and China hold diplomatic level talks to de-escalate the military stand-off at Galwan Valley on the LAC in Ladakh
May 28: MEA says it will resolve the border stand-off with China peacefully through dialogue
May 27: US President Donald Trump extends offer to mediate
May 18: India backs 62 other nations demanding a probe into origin of Covid-19, puts China under scanner
April: In a near Doklam-like situation, India and China engage in major border stand-off at the LAC in Ladakh
2019
October: Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu for an informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Two leaders discuss ways to foster bilateral ties
2018
April: Following Doklam stand-off and India’s refusal to join hands with China for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), PM Modi visits China for his first informal summit with President Xi Jinping at Wuhan
ALSO READ: Over 40 Chinese soldiers killed in violent face-off, 20 Indian soldiers martyred in biggest Sino-India clash
2017
June: India becomes full-member of the Shanghai Cooperation Council (SCO) along with China’s ally Pakistan
June: 73-day border stand-off between India and China over China’s construction of a road in Doklam grabs headlines. Both sides disengage and withdraw forces in August
May: India snubs China’s invite to attend the Beijing BRI summit
2016
October: Meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of Goa BRICS Summit
2015
January: US president Barack Obama visits India on Republic Day as the Chief Guest. Following a long meeting with PM Modi, India and United States issue a joint statement highlighting shared concerns about Chinese expansion in the South China Sea
2014
September: Tension escalates between India and China as Chinese troops reportedly enter 2 kilometres inside the LAC in Chumar sector
July: PM Modi meets President Xi for the first time along the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brazil
2013
April: A three week stand-off between Indian and Chinese forces reported from Depsang Plain in Eastern Ladakh. PLA soldiers cross into Indian territory and pitch tents to assert territorial control
2009
October: China objects to PM Manmohan Singh’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh
2006
July: Nathu La pass between Sikkim and Tibet is reopened for trade after 44 years
2003
Sino-India tensions over status of Tibet and Sikkim de-escalate after PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to China
2002
March: India and China agree in Beijing to accelerate the pace of LAC delineation and resolve border disputes
2000
April: India and China commemorate 50 years of bilateral diplomatic ties
January 31: PLA builds a permanent road network and sets up bunkers 5 km in the Indian side of the LAC in Aksai Chin area of Ladakh
January 14: India officially communicates to China that 17th Karmapa has arrived in Dharamshala but has not been granted refugee status
January 11: China warns India giving political asylum to Karmapa would violate five principles of peaceful co-existence between the two nations
January 7: 17th Karmapa leaves China and arrives in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh to join the Dalai Lama
1999
June: China takes neutral stand vis-a-vis Kargil and agrees to establish a security mechanism with India
1998
May 14: China condemns India’s second nuclear test in Pokhran
1995
August: Indian and Chinese authorities agree to withdraw troops on the Sumdorong Chu Valley, epicenter of 1987 border clashes
1993
September: PM PV Narasimha Rao visits China and both sides sign an agreement on Border Peace and Tranquility
1991
Chinese premier Li Peng leaves India after a landmark tour, the first by a Chinese diplomat in over thirty years
1986
Beijing red flags India’s decision to make Arunachal Pradesh a state
1976
April: India and China restore full diplomatic ties after a 15-year break
1975
October: Chinese misadventure comes to fore, forces cross over into Arunachal Pradesh’s Tulung La and ambush a patrol of Assam Rifles jawans, killing four
April: China condemns Sikkim’s amalgamation with India
1974
May: China takes strong exception to India’s first nuclear test in Pokhran
1967
Indian and Chinese troops clash at Nathu La. At least 80 Indian and 400 Chinese soldiers killed
1962
October-November: Sino-India border war erupts over disputed Aksai Chin and border areas in Arunachal Pradesh. The war results in 722 Indian and 1,383 Chinese casualties
1960
April 19: PM Jawaharlal Nehru and Chinese premier Zhou Enlai hold a meeting to address boundary questions. Meeting outcome inconclusive
1959
China refuses to accept McMahon Line, with Chinese premier Zhou Enlai claiming that Beijing was not a signatory to the 1842 British India and China peace treaty
January: Chinese premier Zhou Enlai stakes claim to over 40,000 sq miles of Indian territory in Ladakh and North-East Frontier Agency
1954
May 15: PM Jawaharlal Nehru and Chinese premier sign Panchsheel Pact outlining five principles of peaceful co-existence
