Context
Recently, Indian mountaineers scaled an unnamed and unclimbed mountain peak in Arunachal Pradesh, determined to name this ‘Tsangyang Gyatso Peak’ after the 6th Dalai Lama.
Historical Background: India-China Boundary Issues
- India shares a 3,488-kilometre-long border with China, which runs along several states: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. This border, known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), has been a source of tension and occasional war between the two countries.
- 1962 Sino-Indian War: The most considerable conflict came about in 1962 while China invaded India across the Himalayan border. India suffered a navy defeat, and the war left scars on bilateral relations.
- Post-War Diplomacy: After the battle, diplomatic efforts geared toward resolving the boundary issue started. However, development was slow due to differing perceptions of the border alignment.
- Agreements and Disputes: Over the years, India and China signed numerous agreements to hold peace alongside the border. These covered the Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity (1993) and the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles (2005). Despite these agreements, disputes persevered.
Recent Developments
- Galwan Clash in Ladakh (2020): A violent conflict between Indian and Chinese troops ended in casualties on both sides. This incident appreciably strained bilateral relations.
- Since then, both countries have engaged in disengagement talks to de-enhance tensions. These negotiations aimed to withdraw troops from contentious areas alongside the LAC.
- The External Affairs Minister of India stated that 75% of the disengagement issues were looked after. However, it’s vital to make clear that this development pertains mainly to troop disengagement.
- The broader boundary difficulty remains unresolved.
- Tawang Region in Arunachal Pradesh: Tawang, strategically positioned among China and Bhutan, is a massive Indian territory. It lies inside the unsettled India-China border.
- The Yangtse plateau within Tawang is crucial for both Indian and Chinese militaries. Its peak altitude of over 5,700 metres provides visibility over much of the region.
- India’s control of the ridgeline along the LAC allows it to prevent Chinese overwatch of roads leading to the Sela Pass — a critical mountain pass that serves as the only access in and out of Tawang.
- Territorial Claim of Arunachal Pradesh: China’s territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh had been a factor of contention for years. Since 2017, China has been renaming places within the region as part of its approach to assert control.
- India, on the other hand, firmly maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is a crucial part of its territory, dismissing China’s renaming efforts as mere semantics.
- The naming of Tsangyang Gyatso Peak provides another layer to this complicated geopolitical landscape.
India’s Approach and Mechanisms
- Diplomatic Relations: India hooked up diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1950, becoming the first non-socialist bloc country to achieve this.
- Despite occasional tensions, both sides have engaged in talk to manage border problems.
- Mechanisms for Conflict Resolution: India has mechanisms in the region to address ‘friction’ associated with the international border with China in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Diplomatic channels and bilateral agreements are used to solve disputes.
- Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination (WMCC): It is an institutional framework set up to facilitate communique, coordination, and management of border-associated issues between India and China. It emerged as a reaction to the need for stepped forward institutionalised records exchange regarding border subjects.
- The discussion was ‘in-intensity, constructive and ahead-searching’, and both sides agreed to maintain the momentum via established diplomatic and navy channels.
Challenges and the Way Forward
- India needs to promote honest discussions about the history of the boundary dispute and activities leading to the 1962 war.
- Both countries want to locate pragmatic solutions while respecting each other’s territorial integrity.
- India’s stance on the Indo-China border disputes entails a sensitive balance of diplomacy, strategic infrastructure development, and safeguarding its territorial interests. As tensions persist, communication remains crucial for preserving peace and stability in the area.
- India and China’s parallel upward thrust as major global gamers gives a specific project in global politics. Balancing competition and cooperation is essential for local balance and international harmony.
Source: The Hindu