Abstract
The research presented in the paper “China’s Coercive Tactics on the Line of Actual Control: delivers an examination of the world’s most volatile and complex boundary. The text traces the evolution of the Sino-Indian border from a period of relative peace to a modern reality of armed coexistence and aggressive infrastructure competition. Through detailed case studies of major skirmishes, ranging from the 1967 Nathu La clash to the deadly 2020 Eastern Ladakh standoff, the analysis exposes a consistent pattern of deliberate expansionist intent and coercive signalling by the People’s Liberation Army. It reveals that whenever India has combined military firmness with sustained diplomacy, it has successfully thwarted unilateral changes to the status quo. The paper offers critical policy lessons, emphasising that long-term stability along this contested frontier requires credible deterrence, rapid response capabilities, and unwavering national resolve.
