Vishnuu KP asked: What could be the motive behind China's recent intrusions into the Indian territory? Is the frequency of Chinese intrusion increasing?

Rukmani Gupta replies: India and China share a long land border, parts of which are disputed. There is no consensus between the governments of the two countries on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and their respective perceptions of the LAC are also unclear. Keeping this in mind, reported Chinese incursions into Indian territory can have multiple interpretations. Two likely explanations may be: first, Chinese patrolling into disputed areas may be a means to assert Chinese claims on those areas and challenge Indian sovereignty; and second, Chinese actions could be aimed at gauging Indian responses. Reports regarding Chinese incursions in the Indian media have certainly become more frequent in the past few years.