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Nilgiri

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Is that why PRC wants Arunachal? For water resources?
@Nilgiri

Only minor partially. The topography (where the himalayan shield meets Assam and cascades into the mountains and valleys) makes this hypothetical lot harder compared to upstream brahmaputra retention/diversion where the steadier Tibetan plateau still exists.

Most of their claim originates from Tibetan Empire + Tibetan dynasties historic control and influence over the area, especially Tawang.

But then that raises the uncomfortable existence of the Tibetan Empire and Tibet separately to Han China for long periods of time....including during the time when British tried to settle the border here w.r.t Tibet in early 20th century, excluding Qing from those negotiations (seen as foreigners by lot of Han anyway) from it.

Hence they don't really press the issue as much as the strategic road area w.r.t Aksai Chin.
 

Afif

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Do you think PLA (or more accurately, CCP) is planning/expecting a fight in the long run? New airbase construction in tibbet, modernization of old ones, deploying greater numbers of assets. (specially J20 squadrons and Type-15 tanks)
 

Nilgiri

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Do you think PLA (or more accurately, CCP) is planning/expecting a fight in the long run? New airbase construction in tibbet, modernization of old ones, deploying greater numbers of assets. (specially J20 squadrons and Type-15 tanks)

From what I know of the CCP, a conflict of any real significant level with India is fraught with new level of risks long term that they adjudge as not worth exploring given India's size and role for this century and long term alliances it can strengthen counter to China's interests in deep ways. These risks were similarly not explored and pursued with the Soviets post ussuri clashes as again the risks were just too high at that point. The CCP is generally careful with larger countries with view of longer term....as China in general has bad experience with even smaller powers with simply sufficient force concentration and where buffers were not available (like in the western half of country) to delay and respond to them.

The larger Chinese population does not attach any significant value to the border with India as compared to say what Taiwan represents in Chinese redemption part of the psyche....and CCP is largely cognizant to that along with where Chinese population centres reside w.r.t its coastline and security risks stemming from far lower amount of buffer zone there and powerful allied threats projecting there relative to India (or say Russia today especially compared to what the USSR had in the coldwar calculus w.r.t PRC).

There is not much follow up pattern (its now past 3 years) after Galwan like say they did after the 1979 war with Vietnam for nearly 10 years. There are pressure points where PLA has optimal advantage right now to do so if CCP desires that and would likely have done so by now, but it has not and openly signals and prefers conservative approach.

So I believe its case of ramping up pressure and presence with prodding where possible within a larger status quo setting below large open or sustained conflict.

India of course as the weaker party has to plan with the worst case scenarios in mind as far as rationally possible rather than simply rely too much upon whats in the middle of the possibility curves like it has so far done since the 80s-90s thaw under Deng continued by the two successor administrations but now changing under Xi.
 

JOYDEEPGHOSH

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Useless; not really. It has been reconnected with Leh across the mountains, bypassing Chinese threat to Depsang plains.
unlikely as the road will remain under PLARF range and will be destroyed in 1st hr of hostility
 

Hari Sud

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unlikely as the road will remain under PLARF range and will be destroyed in 1st hr of hostility
The same fate awaits the Chinese Aksai-Chin road as it is within long range artillery and Prahaar missile range. Only few minutes and these roads in Chinese hands are no more.
 

JOYDEEPGHOSH

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The same fate awaits the Chinese Aksai-Chin road as it is within long range artillery and Prahaar missile range. Only few minutes and these roads in Chinese hands are no more.
yes which is why they are building another road completely hidden from indias arty, uav, radar, jet
 

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