'India should declare Tibet as independent': Army veterans as China lays claim on Arunachal, Aksai Chin in new map

In yet another provocation ahead of the crucial G20 Summit in New Delhi, China has, in a new map, shown Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as part of its territory. While Beijing has been laying claims on these two territories for years, its new map has this time triggered a volley of reactions in India with, some now asking New Delhi to declare Tibet as an independent region.

Tibet was an autonomous region till 1950. But in 1951, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) entered Tibet following the 17 Point Agreement, a 'forced' treaty that allowed Beijing to incorporate Tibet into China. India recognised Tibet as part of China in 2003 as an attempt to calm things down on the border. But that move has not yielded any results and Beijing continues to lay its claim on Arunachal Pradesh as it considers it a part of Southern Tibet. China has also been laying claim on India's Aksai Chin region, which it has been holding since 1962.

However, now these moves by China are being viewed by a section of people in India as a provocation by Beijing, and demands are growing that New Delhi should respond by declaring Tibet as an independent region.

Joining the league, India's former army chief Ved Malik on Tuesday said that the release of a new official map by China with a territorial claim on Arunachal Pradesh is an indication that Beijing has no intention to resolve the boundary dispute. "Shouldn't India declare the old status of Tibet and drop the 'one China' policy?" he asked on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Colonel NS Malhan, too, said it was time to take a relook at India's Tibet policy. He said China has released a new edition of the standard map, laying claim on Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin region. "Need a relook at Tibet."  Pramod Tyagi, an Indian Navy veteran, too suggested that India should denounce the one-China policy and recognise Tibet as an independent state. "Why must India follow the rules while others don't?" he wrote on X.

Colonel Ajit Singh Bhinder said China never had a border with India, hence it is claiming Indian territory to look for a fight. "Nehru and his dynasty have been China's agents - latest secret deal proves it," Bhinder claimed, referring to a pact signed between Rahul Gandhi and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2008. "Tibet needs to be declared a sovereign nation and China confronted," Bhinder said.

KM Paul, one social media user, said China does not recognise POK, a part of India and comfortably carrying on with its China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It does not recognise, AKSAI CHIN & ARUNACHAL PRADESH, a part of INDIA! Then why we should recognise, TAIWAN, TIBET, part of CHINA? Hope, GOI will treat this stubborn neighbour, OFFENSIVE.

In 1962, India and China fought a brief war in Akshai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh following which Beijing illegally occupied a large swath of region in Eastern Ladakh. In September 2020, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq kms in Ladakh and also claims approximately 90,000 sq kms of Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh.