India Opens Border Tunnel Despite China's Protests

China has lodged a diplomatic protest with India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a tunnel in the disputed Himalayan border region, warning that the move will complicate the boundary issue and disrupt the situation in the border areas. The tunnel, built at an altitude of 13,000 feet, is expected to facilitate India’s movement of troops and weaponry along the Line of Actual Control. The two countries have been locked in a military stand-off since a fatal border clash in June 2020, and the dispute dates back to 1962. Modi's visit to the contested region comes ahead of general elections in India, and his administration has strengthened military ties with the US, Japan, and Australia, drawing criticism from Beijing.