India and China have clashed in deadly brawls on their disputed border multiple times recently. An estimated 60,000 Chinese soldiers are positioned on India’s border, with main battle tanks, fighter jets and artillery facing off against 200,000 Indian forces on the other side. This is the border between the world’s two most populous nations both armed with plenty of nuclear weapons, so the consequences of this conflict extend far beyond Southeast Asia. It might as well be happening on the border with my neighbor Carl. editor note show population numbers over map animation. But what exactly are these two giants fighting over in this inhospitable 4,000 meter high altitude freezing region that is so strategically important?Written by: Chris Cappy & Brian SprouleEdited by: Michael Michaelides Why are they fighting with sticks and stones when they have perfectly good rifles right next to them? and how can we hope to avoid all-out conflict between India and China? Hit the like button and let’s get started. (Jayadeva Ranade) A former Indian National Security Advisory, believes he knows the truth about why China has recently become more aggressive in the region. It’s because Xi Jingping needs to protect his new China Pakistan economic corridor. This is Xi Jinping’s most expensive belt and road project over the past decade at $65 billion dollars. When you hear about “belt and road” all the other projects are a total sideshow compared to this. Because the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. CPEC will add a new 10,000 km shorter route for oil transport from the middle east to enter western China. This will eliminate China’s single greatest strategic vulnerability to the US navy blockading and cutting off their energy supply. There’s only one problem: it’s located just a few kilometers from India’s disputed border with Pakistan. And to make matters worse, it’s located inside Pakistan Occupied Kashmir so the roads and railways pass directly through territory that has been claimed by India as their own. It would be like if my neighbor Carl started expanding his driveway into the weird place between our yards where we’re not sure who owns it but we agreed neither of us would start construction there. Cut that out Carl. According to India this project is being built in illegally occupied territory. So India has tens of thousands of soldiers located a few kilometers away from this strategically important trade route for China. In September 2020, India’s Chief of Defence Staff (General Bipin Rawat) acknowledged this very problem stating “Chinese economic cooperation with Pakistan, in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, along with continued military, economic and diplomatic support mandate high levels of preparation by us.” One of my favorite proverbs from India is “where the needle goes the thread follows” I think CPEC has accelerated tensions on the border. Because in response to Chinese build up in 2021 India shifted 50,000 additional troops to their border with China to reinforce the region. They did this by taking 20,000 troops and 6 army divisions off their western border with rival Pakistan to prioritize defense against China instead. This represents a 40% increase in force strength from 2020.