Can you imagine the situation if all this buildup was on Indian side of the border, undertook by the Indian Air Force?
Imagine the chest thumping.
Imagine the boasts.
Imagine the proclamations of Aryan superiority.
Indian leaders quietly (and eventually) realised that their sneak move onto 20% in early 2020 (thinking pandemic would devastate China) was responded to and responded to harsher than they planned. They then had the choice to standoff and buy time, fight a war, or re-organise their strategy.
First it was all "China is going to get ruined by covid hahahahahaha sucked in China!" to "ohh my... how dare these CCP release virus on us and only give us two months warning" btw when US and UK gave no one warning of new strains and covid spreading in Europe and US at least in early 2019. Absolute snakes always changing the tune according to the situation. So many rounds of we have defeated China only to have the truth eventually revealed and proven beyond doubt. The last refuge of broken Jai Hind egos was in making up stories of 100+ PLA deaths ... Jai Hind weaklings killing 12 PLA soldiers singlehandedly when IA soldiers were proven and photographed to have been tied up in their dozens. I'm sure the PLA has GB worth of photos and videos of "tea is fantashtik" in case Jai Hind fake news machines start convincing important people.
The problem is they have decided to only agree to China's terms for Pangong and now that high profile humiliation is removed, Modi has less political need to agree with China elsewhere. China has no interest in fighting any war with India - not out of fear of bramouse but a MMA fighter has no interest to fight with a bum. China has nothing to gain here. The duty is to keep this 20% out of Indian hands but the longer the Indians stay on it, the closer it gets to becoming de facto status. For this reason, PLA has engaged in standoff.
If India had courage, it would fight for the 20% but wants it for free. Kind of like how some Indians bargain. They expect things to come to them with no effort or price paid. China showed that it will fight to keep this remaining 20% out of Indian hands. India wants it, then go and get it and be sure you properly understand the costs... it's not a bollywood wetdream where one Jai Hind can handle dozens of PLA. If anything, the military capability between the two is at least one generation wide and China outnumbers India 10 to 1 overall... oh and quality is on China's side. Has anyone dealt with Indian quality? LOL give them another 30 years (if that) before "made in India" jokes
begin. All China needs to figure out is the logistics of sending equipment to India but there is every chance the US is closely watching PLA electronic warfare as it tried to thrust India into the crosshairs.
