Sweet Diplomacy: Indian, Chinese Soldiers Share Candy on Diwali After Easing of Border Tensions
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In a heart warming show of bonhomie reminiscent of the World War I Christmas Truce, Indian and Chinese troops along a disputed border put aside their differences to celebrate Diwali by exchanging sweets.
The two countries have contested the region of Ladakh in the Himalayas for two decades, but after a rare diplomatic breakthrough earlier this year that saw both sides withdraw from key flashpoints, relations have warmed up. Soldiers of the two nations, who now patrol on different schedules to avoid conflict, met up this year to exchange sweets on Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
A Sweet Tradition on a Tough Frontier
The exchange took place at five designated Border Personnel Meeting Points, where troops gathered in the spirit of the holiday. This tradition of sweets being shared on Diwali is similar to the unplanned moments of good will during the famous Christmas Truce of 1914, when German and Allied soldiers left their trenches to share gifts in the no man‘s land.
An unnamed Indian army official with reporters confirming the exchange: “Sweets were exchanged between troops of India and China at several border points on the occasion of Diwali,” according to the Straits Times.
Ladakh: A Land of Disputed Borders and Shared Restraint
Ladakh, the part of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir in India, has been a hotbed of tension since the Sino-Indian War in 1962. The two countries are divided not by an officially recognized border but by the Line of Actual Control-the LAC that, for all intents and purposes, marks where each side exerts control.
Yet, despite arguably being the most disputed border in the world, restraint on both sides has been a rare continuance. In fact, no shots have ever been exchanged along the LAC since 1975. Any flare-ups, meanwhile, have been dealt with in unorthodox manners; witness the infamous 2020 brawl involving hundreds of soldiers using tools as weapons. The scuffle lasted for six hours and led to 20 Indian casualties and anywhere between 4 and 43 Chinese deaths–all without a single shot fired.
A New Beginning in India-China Relations?
Recent talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have yielded a consensus for the disengagement of troops along some high-tension areas facing each other across the LAC. This was followed by the completion of withdrawal by the 21st of October, according to verification carried out by the Indian military through drone surveillance.
Following this milestone, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said, “China-India relations are standing at a new starting point,” underlining the management of differences as the way ahead.
As tensions ease and soldiers share simple gestures of goodwill, like a box of sweets, it‘s a hopeful reminder that even along one of the world‘s most volatile borders, small acts of kindness can help pave the way to greater understanding and peace.
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