In LAC Talks, From Peace to Conflict Prevention

The Hindu 14th September 2020 Save

Context: Future relevance of various agreements that were signed between India and China is under scanner amid the ongoing crisis in eastern Ladakh.

Short History of India-China Conflict:

Post-1962 war: India-China border was loosely controlled by both sides, with a fairly sparse deployment of troops.

Clash at Nathu La in 1967 continued the border claims.

China Study Group, 1976: Laid down the patrolling points and guided the scope of military activity along the LAC.

Change in border management: After Chinese occupation of a post in the Sumdorong Chu Valley in 1986.

Agreements over the years

Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China Border Areas, signed in 1993:

Formalised the LAC concept
Eschewed the use of force to settle the boundary issue
Restricted military exercises and air activity close to the LAC.
Problem with this agreement: India should not have accepted the term ‘LAC’ in this agreement as there was no clarity as to where this line lay on the ground

1996 Agreement :

Reducing or limiting military forces to minimum levels
Limiting the deployment of major armaments

2005 Protocol:

Procedure to be adopted when soldiers of the two sides came to a face-to-face situation while patrolling areas where there was a differing perception of the LAC.
Agreed to expand the mechanism of border meeting points and exchanges between the two militaries.
No mention of a reduction in military forces.

Border Defence Cooperation Agreement 2013-14:

Signed during the interim period of the Depsang intrusion in 2013 and the attempted intrusion at Chumar in 2014.

Inadequacy of the Agreements:

Differences in the alignment of the LAC could not be resolved.
Agreement on reducing military forces along the LAC to the minimum was neither seriously discussed nor implemented.

Conclusion

Past agreements may not work: since after Doklam: Greater aggression by both sides

Fundamentals Ignored: Two fundamentals of the agreements — resolution of the differing perceptions of the LAC and reduction of military forces have been ignored.