A Conflict in Three Parts

For more than two months, Chinese and Indian forces have stood toe to toe on the Doklam Plateau. The standoff is just the latest manifestation of a border dispute that began long before Chinese soldiers tried to extend a road through the contested region June 16 -- and one that extends well past the area in question. Along the thousands of kilometers of sinuous border between China and India lie three main points of contention: Aksai Chin, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. The regions are the most likely sites of a military confrontation between China and India, and each presents its own set of strategic considerations....