Observers said on May 26 that the construction of roads and airspace in the region between old enemies between India and China has sparked the conflict, as it competes with China's expansion belt and road initiative.
The impetus for a brief but bloody war in 1962, with troops on both sides, camped in the Gulwan Valley in the lofty Ladakh region, accusing each other of stealing from the disputed border.
Indian officials briefed in New Delhi and Layyah, the capital of Ladakh, on the issue, saying that about 80 to 100 tents had been set up on the Chinese side and about 60 on the Indian side.
Officials said the two were digging defenses and Chinese trucks were transporting supplies to the area.
'China is committed to the protection of its territorial independence as well as harmony and dependability in the Sino-Indian fringe territories,' The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman's office said in a statement.
At present, the overall situation in the border areas is stable and manageable. There are concrete procedures and communication channels for border issues and both sides have the ability to resolve issues through dialogue and consultation.
There was no quick remark from the Foreign Ministry. It said Chinese soldiers a week ago blocked normal Indian watches along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
But interviews with former Indian military officials and diplomats say the trigger is India's road and airstrikes.
Former Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said, "Today when our infrastructure is slowly expanding into areas along the LAC, the Chinese threat comes to mind."
'Xi Jinping's China region is in favor of a strong line on all issues of sovereignty when it comes to these issues, India is no less when it comes to these issues.' she stated
After years of neglect, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has called for improved connectivity and by 2022, 66 key roads will be built along the Chinese border.
One of these roads is near the Galan Valley, which meets Daulat Beg Oldhi Airbase, which opened last October.
Shyam Saran, another former Indian foreign secretary, said, 'This road is very important because it runs parallel to the LAC and is connected to major supply bases in many places in the country.'
'It remains on our side of the LAC, with this new alignment, it is being built, which has been challenged by the Chinese.'
China's Belt and Road is a network of ports, railways, roads, and bridges connecting China to Europe via Central and South Asia, and a longtime enemy of Pakistan, China's closest ally, and India.
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