Has PM Modi undermined India's interests by refuting Chinese intrusion into Indian territory?

Indian PM Narendra Modi on the eve of 19th June 2020, during an all-party meeting made a statement, saying there has been no incursion by Chinese troops in Galwan valley. This statement has created widespread speculation within the country and across the border.

Indian PM Narendra Modi made an extraordinary claim saying there has been no intrusion by Chinese troops in the Galwan valley. His exact words were "Neither anyone has intruded into our territory, nor took over any post". This statement came during all-party meeting held by the PM to discuss the cause and effect of India-China standoff around LAC. This statement has created a lot of uproar in the country. While some say it is a surrender to China, others say PM might have made a mistake while weaving his statement and misspoken something which he did not intend to say. Whatever the reason, this statement has seriously undermined India's case and have inflicted a self-goal for the country. While it might save some embarrassment for the PM on the domestic political front but still there are many unanswered questions creeping up after his unusual statement.

Earlier twenty Indian soldiers martyred in brutal face-off with the Chinese soldiers. China also captured ten of our soldiers and released them after heavy negotiations. Many of our soldiers are badly injured and wounded from the brutal attacks. In these circumstances the PM of India making a claim that there was never an intrusion in the Indian territory raises serious questions. This statement undermines the Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting the Chinese. If the Chinese never intruded into Indian territory, why did Indian soldiers fight with them? If the PM's statement is taken on face value, it suggests that Indian forces crossed the LAC and went to the other side and fought the Chinese army. In other words, our brave soldiers who martyred for their country were not fighting to save their own country but intruding in the Chinese territory. 

This statement also undermines the fact that Chinese troops have intruded deep into our territory in the Galwan Valley and made bunkers and other kinds of infrastructure arrangements there. The Defense minister, news media and several defense experts have already pointed towards this development. Now when PM says that Nobody has intruded into our territory nor has taken our post, does he mean that the area where Chinese are sitting at this moment is not Indian territory? Galwan valley was never a disputed territory, it was always a part of India. After PM's statement Chinese spokesperson Lijian Zhao tweeted claiming the whole Galwan valley is Chinese territory and Indian soldiers forcefully entered into their territory and therefore got attacked.

 

Chinese state sponsored news media is running this statement in China with Chinese translation. They are celebrating it as a diplomatic victory for China. Not only did they capture our land and killed our soldiers, they also scored a diplomatic victory by claiming that the Chinese were right and the Indian side was wrong. The Chinese communist party (CCP) would be able to give a great story to their domestic audience with an extra pudding on top in the form of PM Modi's statement. Chinese citizen who are struggling in the wake of coronavirus pandemic and slowing exports of their country due to global orders shrinkage. They are in anguish and China is desperately trying to incite different countries to keep their domestic audience involved in a nationalistic fervour so they do not start blaming the Chinese regime for the shoddy economic affairs and their poor handling of the coronavirus crisis.

In the Indian domestic circles, it's been talked about as a usual foreign policy failure by the Indian government in the wake of India-China border tension becoming a new normal. The opposition is blaming Narendra Modi for putting his own self-interest ahead of the nation. They allege, Mr Modi has not accepted any intrusion by Chinese troops, because he doesn't want to be seen as somebody who slept behind the wheels while the car crashed. The fact that Chinese troops intruded inside Indian territory after so many diplomatic visits by PM Modi to China and inviting Xi Jinping to India clearly smells like a policy failure. While the government is not owning up to its mistake in this manner, it is hard pressed to deny any such claims of Chinese intrusion.

Not only is this a form of diplomatic victory for China but is also an embarrassment for the Indian foreign policy. India has lost the perception battle in round one. India will be seen as a weaker nation by the smaller island countries in the south China sea where China has been trying to bully its way through them. India also faces humiliation in the eyes of our neighbours such as Nepal, Sri-Lanka, Bhutan etc. This can have long lasting Geo-political repercussions for the country. Whatever the consequences of this India-China standoff be. It is a self-goal by India in round one.

Conclusion:

Indian prime minister Mr. Narendra Modi has undermined India's interests by making this outlandish statement. He is the head of state and should not have made any such claims without consulting their foreign minister and defense minister, in case he didn't know the facts. In case he knew the facts and then made this statement, then it shows he clearly puts his domestic political image ahead of the country's interests. He is trying to be seen as somebody who is vigil and doesn't want people to think he slept on the wheel while the vehicle crashed. Whatever may be the end result of this India-China border standoff, the first round has been a clear self-goal by India.