evidence: Remember the 1950s when China started building a road in Aksai Chin, and India kept silent? The work had started in 1953/54, and the ‘highway’ was opened with fanfare in July 1957. However, Delhi only recorded a weak protest…more than a year later, on 18 October 1958. The then Foreign Secretary, Subimal Dutt, wrote to the Chinese ambassador in Delhi: "It had come to the Government of India’s notice that a road had been constructed by the People’s Republic of China across the eastern part of the Ladakh region of J&K State, which is part of India…the completion of which was announced in September 1957 [in fact in July]." The Indian note added: "It is a matter of surprise and regret that the Chinese Government should have constructed a road through indisputably Indian territory without first obtaining the permission of the Government of India and without even informing the Government of India." That was it. In other words, a green light was given to Mao to continue developing the area. [...] The question remains: will Delhi protest against the construction of infrastructure, mainly the new railway, on what India considers its territory, or will it adopt a wait-and-watch game? The successful construction of the proposed rail and air infrastructure by China in Tibet will further strengthen the Chinese control of Aksai Chin.