China’s quest for mineral and water resources in Ladakh and Aksai Chin along the Indian frontier
Water and mineral resources are key players in a high-altitude battle along the border between India and China.
New Delhi—The conflict between India and China over the border holds significant importance. The disputed border regions, starting from high-altitude trans-Himalayan areas and spanning the massive mountain range, contain valuable mineral, water, and forest resources.
The region boasts rare earths and water reserves, crucial for mineral extraction and sustaining China’s strategic and economic interests in the area.
India divides the 2,167-mile disputed border into the western, central, and eastern sectors. This article, part of a series on China’s appropriation of mineral and water resources along the Indian frontier, focuses on the western sector encompassing the territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and the frigid desert of Aksai Chin.
In this sector, mineral reserves play a pivotal military role, given China’s Mineral Resources Law that asserts state ownership over all mineral resources. Similarly, China’s state-controlled water resources pose a significant concern, especially in disputed areas.
China’s ambitions for mineral and water resources in the border regions align with its expansionist goals, sparking tensions and threatening India’s national security.
Western Sector: From Civilizational Conduit to Contested Territory
Stretching over 1,300 miles, India’s perception of the western sector portrays it as a highly inhospitable and militarized region. Originally, it served as a civilizational trade route on the Silk Road and later became a strategic forefront among global powers.
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