Indo-China Conflict- An Overview

Authored By:- Rohan Kumar Tolani

India – China's border issue has never resolved for centuries, and one can blame Jawaharlal Nehru and China for it. China never wanted to address the border issue with India. The problem arises because of a different approach by both China and India. China had an approach to improve relations first, then solve the border issue later on. While India's approach is to resolve border issues first, it will automatically lead to improved relations. But the problem is that there is no parameter for improving ties. How can one say now we have reached to a level that we can solve border dispute? The main problem is that China has not forgotten its century of humiliation and tries to usurp another country's land by working on its expansion theory. In recent times, India has seen a different approach by two different Prime Ministers. The approach by Manmohan Singh was to have friendship with Pakistan and urge him to end terrorism, and China will automatically stop using it as a weapon. While Narendra Modi's approach was to have a friendship with China and no talks with Pakistan, Pakistan will stop terrorism in China's directions. But none of the approaches has not given any fruitful result till now. But what will happen tomorrow, no one knows.

 

To better understand today's scenario, we should know the necessary information about some facts and what all has happened to date.

 

India China border can be divided into three sectors that are Western Sector (Ladakh), Middle Sector (Himachal and Uttarakhand), which is not much disputed, and Eastern Sector (Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh). Today, India shares around 4050 km of border with China, according to Johnson line of 1865 and McMahon line of 1914. Out of which, about 3290 km border is disputed, and ITBP guards it. But the actual border on the ground is of 3488 km, which has 24 disputed areas. India claims that China has illegally occupied 38000 kilometers square area of Aksai Chin and 5180 kilometers square area of Shaksgam Valley, which was gifted to China by Pakistan in 1963. On the other hand, China wrangles that 90000 kilometers square area of Arunachal as part of South Tibet and belongs to it.

 

The border dispute started way back in the 1800s when in 1865, Britishers recognized Johnson Line as the official border between India and Tibet. But they neither solicited Tibet nor the Qing Dynasty of China to declare it as the official border. In 1899, Britishers proposed Macartney MacDonald line to China to which China informally agreed till 1959.

 

Finally, after the Qing dynasty's collapse in 1912 and 1914, the Republic of China was formed by Saan Yat-Sen, and British India assayed for settling the border dispute. In 1914, British India and Tibet recognized McMahon Line as the border between NEFA and Tibet. The agreement is popularly known as the Shimla Agreement. But no Chinese representative was present at this meeting.

 

After India became independent in 1947, it recognized Johnson Line as the official border. China never agreed on it and insisted on the Macartney MacDonald line. In 1949, under Mao's leadership, China won the civil war and became a communist nation.

 

In 1950, after PLA annexed Tibet, Mao mentioned that Arunachal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal, and Ladakh are spurs of Tibet, and China will capture them in one of his speeches future.

After independence, India had an aggressive foreign policy, unlike today's defensive, and China had a defensive foreign policy, unlike today's aggressive. As a result, in the 1950s, Nehru insisted on no talks with China on Aksai Chin as the entire Aksai Chin had been part of Ladakh for centuries; therefore, it belongs to India. Seeing India's aggression and patrolling in many parts of Aksai Chin, Zhou Enlai, Mao's right hand, came to India for border talks during the 1950s. He challenged Nehru's demands by saying that there was no delimitation of the western sector. China has never proposed the Johnson line but was offered only the MacDonald line, and China agrees to demarcate it as a border. However, India insisted on the Johnson line.

 

In 1954, the Panchsheel agreement was signed between India and China, and India recognized Tibet as part of China. But as protests rose in Tibet against the Chinese regime, in 1959, there was an uprising after which Dalai Lama got asylum in India with his followers.

 

In 1960, India made an aggressive move by Defensive Forward Policy. It ordered the army to stop Chinese logistics in NEFA and Western Front. India established many outposts in Aksai chin near Xinjiang Tibet Highway and parts of Tibet, violating the McMahon line. As a result of India's aggression, in Oct 1962, China declared war on India and captured many areas, including Galwaan valley, Tawang, and Chushul(Pangong Tso). But after one month, China announced a ceasefire unilaterally and handed over Galwaan valley, Tawang, and Chushul(Pangong Tso) back to India.

 

But it is not the case that only China has defeated India. India has also given a befitting reply to China. In 1967, at Nathu La, Sikkim, China suffered a massive loss in clashes with India. Rajiv Gandhi wanted to settle disputes with China. In 1986-87, China attacked parts of Arunachal Pradesh. India put heavy pressure on China through Operation Chequerboard and Operation Falcon; thus, China surrendered. There gave rise to a new observation on China that it is always predictable, and China will surrender whenever India shows power. Finally, Rajiv Gandhi met Deng Xiaoping in Dec 1988 to resolve the border issue. This meeting acted as a foundation to settle the border dispute.

 

In 1993, for the first time, the ambiguous LAC was officially recognized bilaterally on the maintenance of peace and tranquillity. Afterward, in 1996, an agreement was signed between India and China. No side activity should violate LAC and be decided that delimitation of the border should take place, and it should be completed in three steps. The first step was that political parameters to be agreed from both sides, which were accomplished in 2005 and the map exchanges started. India always insisted on sharing maps to know what the Chinese think about their border and understand China's perception. But China halted map exchanges when it came to the Aksai Chin dispute. The second step was the actual framework of the border. We are currently at this stage. The last meeting that is 22nd round of Border talks were held in December 2019 between Ajit Doval and Wang Yi. The third step included actual map plotting and final decision by both sides, which is yet to be completed. Finally, in 2013, the India China Border defense border cooperation agreement was signed, so that faceoff does not convert into a bloody violent clash.

 

But after India started construction of DSDBO road [Darbuk Shyok Daulat Beg Oldie], a 255 km long road that connects Darbuk with DBO airbase, highest airbase of the world, situated at the base of Karakoram Pass. China objected to this road because it runs parallel to LAC, and the construction of small ways to the border has become easy for India. China objected to it in 2013, and both countries had three week-long standoffs near Galwaan valley because DSDBO and Galwaan valley distance is just 5 kilometers.

 

In 2017, after Doklam's 70 days standoff, China informally gave a proposal to India: - China will leave its claim on Arunachal but want control of Tawang, which is part of Arunachal and is most famous for Buddhists after Tibet. Although India rejected it as no country in this world will give a single inch of land.

 

Recently in May 2020, a dispute arose at Galwaan Valley, Hot Springs, Pangong Tso. All disputes arose due to overlapping claims by both countries. This time China has occupied some parts of the buffer zone or patroling points. For example, there are eight fingers in Pangong Tso, out of which India has its post at 4th finger and claims boundary till 8th finger while China has its post at 8th finger and claims border till 2nd finger. So this time, China stopped India at 2nd finger. As a result, India adopted the policy of Mirror Deployment. After disengagement (not de-escalation) took place at Galwaan, Hot spring, and Pangong Tso, China occupied some of buffer zone. Indian Army has to push back China from that region also. It also may take months. We need to remember we do not have enough aircraft for two frontier warfare. This was highlighted for many years but no big step was taken even after 20 years of Kargil War. This is for the first time after 1962, China claimed Galwan valley as its own in 2020.

 But the actual reason for today's aggression by China includes

1. Taiwan getting International support
2. Hong Kong issue
3. the South China Sea issue
4. Japan's aggressive mode on Senkaku island. 
5. Australia's harsh stand against China on COVID-19 and trade.
6.  COVID-19.
7.  India's bold claim on Aksai Chin and PoK.
8.  Indo-US friendship.
9.  India's position to get back to the status quo ante of 1950.
10.  to get India on the table to receive support on international issues.
11.  Finally, to strengthen Xi's image after questions on his mishandling of COVID inside China and around the world.

 

After the pandemic and war-like scenario, there is a possibility that the 1996 border agreement will fail, and we can see a new border and new agreements emerging in the future.

 

Strategy for India to handle the dispute aggressively:

1. The army must push back China as much as possible.
2. While focusing on Eastern Ladakh.
3. We should also keep a close eye at the J&K border so that infiltration should not increase.
4. Aggressively push forward QUAD.
5. Raise Taiwan, Hong Kong, Uighur Muslim, Tibet issue [Or use it as a weapon to deal with China].
6. Make Russia neutral/in favor of India.
7. Maintain airpower [Rafael, air defense system, adequate supply of BRAHMOS, etc.].
8. Support demand for investigation on COVID-19.

 

What more can India do? After the Galwaan Valley clash, it looks like the Indian government is thinking that its time to make amends in the border and give a free hand to the army.