Know why there was a military clash between India and China in 1967 in Nathu La

On June 15, 2020, violent clashes took place in the Galvan region between India and China. Prior to this incident, the last military skirmish between India and China was in 1967.

On June 15, 2020, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent clash between India and China. This was the first conflict between India and China after September 1967. The last Indo-China military skirmish took place in Nathu La in 1967. After this skirmish, there were threats of use of cannon and fighter jets along with a scuffle between the soldiers of the two countries. . In the violent clash of 1967, 88 Indian soldiers were killed while 300 Chinese soldiers were killed.

Importance of Nathu La

The Nathu La Pass is present on the waterway as a natural border and connects Sikkim to the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. This pass is extremely important for the Indian Army as it provides a tactical advantage of observation and fire. After the 1962 war (India was defeated by China), trade was closed through this route which reopened in 2006 for trade purposes after the then Prime Minister visited China.

The main reason for the skirmish between India and China is that India considers the McMahon Line (peak of the Himalayas) as its official border, while China does not consider it as the international border.